Author: Jamie Harrison

IT Support Process Improvement – Simplified Scheduling

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

One of the biggest frustrations as a client is the IT support service scheduling process. We frequently play a game of ping-pong to pick a time that works for everyone. This back and forth leads to inefficiency in delivering you the quickest and most responsive IT support possible. To resolve these scheduling challenges, we have introduced an automated scheduling system as part of our continuous operational improvement initiative. When we need to schedule time together, you can find and book the time that works best for you, based on our team’s real-time availability.

VoIP, supplier, support

Most times, we are able to handle your issue from our office behind the scenes or respond quickly to phone calls. Sometimes, we need to schedule time to work together on things like IT support tickets, project tasks, or quarterly business reviews. As part of our automated scheduling system rollout, I’d like to tell you what will happen now:

  1. Our team will determine how much time we need to schedule based upon the task at hand.
  2. You will receive a scheduling link through email, inviting you to choose the time that best suits you. The times provided are based upon our real-time availability.
  3. Once scheduled, you’ll receive a confirmation email, and a calendar invite.
  4. The calendar invite will include meeting instructions.

If you experience any challenges with our new system, please notify us. We look forward to continuing to serve you better!

If you are not a current client of Globalnet but are frustrated with the IT support response times of your supplier, give us a call on 020 3005 9650 to find how Globalnet can give you the IT support you deserve.

How a Globalnet VCIO Can Help Your Business

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

A popular offering in the IT services industry is the VCIO or VCTO (Virtual Chief Information, or Technology, Officer) service. This service is presented as offering key insight into the development of business strategies as they pertain to the technology. The problem is the CIO is a business position and most IT services companies are staffed by people that know technology a lot better than they know the business.

With Globalnet, you get a VCIO who not only understands the technology and how to implement it, but also understands and is experienced in business. By combining commercial and technical know-how Globalnet helps your company achieve its aims to increase productivity and profits.

Computer and network support

When dealing specifically with your technology, a good VCIO delivers the following:
  • Tailored Consultations: Prior to offering recommendations for improvements, the VCIO analyses your existing technology and your business processes. By learning specifically what you need out of your IT system now, and in the future, they can ensure the best possible recommendation for the next initiatives you are considering undertaking.
  • Infrastructure Oversight: Each and every aspect of your technology, from cabling to servers to desktops to mobile devices and more, should be taken into consideration by your VCIO. No aspect of your infrastructure from end to end – wherever and however your staff members use it, all the way to the people who support it – should be overlooked by a good VCIO.
  • Planning For The Long Term: Your VCIO should develop IT plans that take into account your budget, projections, customer and employee needs, and business goals to guarantee that your IT infrastructure can always support the changes your company undergoes well into the future.

VCIO, Consultants, consultancy, strategic consultantcy

What you gain from working with our Vitual Chief Information Officer

By looking forward with the right technical expertise and experience on hand, you can confidently chart your business’ future instead of undertaking unknown risks and hoping for the best. A good VCIO should help you in many ways, including:

  1. Consultation On Emerging Technology Trends: New technology applications are hitting the market every year, and without the right perspective you could fall behind. We will help you understand how the latest and greatest in technology, such as Cloud Computing, Virtualization, and Mobile Platforms, can enhance your business.
  2. Optimal IT: When you plan effectively, you’re ensuring that you’re prepared in the present and for the future. Soon after our VCIO joins your operation, you’ll see the benefits of good advice and proper IT planning take effect on your daily work.
  3. Reduced IT Expenditures: By looking forward, our VCIO service can help reduce your costs and accurately equip you with just the technology you need to succeed, without wasting money for IT gimmicks that don’t produce results.

onsite IT support,

The right technology combined with true business expertise can achieve ideal results. Properly implemented IT, with the help of Globalnet’s VCIO service, will help you streamline operations, increase communication, encourage collaboration, and boost efficiency, resulting in new levels of productivity. However, without sound, professional knowledge and experience in technology, many organisations miss out on these opportunities to improve their business.

Implementing new technology is a good start, but by educating you on how to best use those tools and the role they play in your company, we can provide you with the understanding necessary to better utilize those solutions and maximize the return.

Call us now on 0203 005 9650 to discuss your business and learn how Globanet’s VCIO can improve your business!

Are Hackers Targeting Your Business for Data or Monetary Theft?

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

As the MD of a small business, you are under attack from hackers. Right now, extremely dangerous and well-funded cybercrime rings in China, Russia and the Ukraine are using sophisticated software systems to hack into thousands of small businesses like yours. All they want is to steal credit cards and client information, and swindle money directly out of your bank account. Take the recent Foxtons attack that made the the news, just one of many examples that are happening on a scary, frequent basis. Some are even being funded by their own government to attack UK businesses.

Too small for a Cyberattack?

Don’t think you’re in danger because you’re small and not a big target like a TalkTalk or Boots? Think again. 82,000 NEW malware threats are released every single day and HALF of the cyber-attacks occurring are aimed at small businesses. You just don’t hear about it because it’s kept quiet for fear of attracting bad PR, lawsuits, data-breach fines and out of sheer embarrassment.

In fact, the insurance company Hiscox reports that 65,000 SMEs are attacked every day, with 4,500 successful breaches, And that number is growing rapidly as more businesses utilize cloud computing and mobile devices, and store more information online. Quite simply, most SMEs are low-hanging fruit to hackers due to their lack of adequate security systems – which is what prompted this urgent post to all of you.

antivirus, computer, security, malware, phishing, cyber security, training

What to do right now

There are a few simple things you need to be doing on a consistent basis to avoid being the next statistic. They are:

  • Use a strong password. I know, simple, right? But so many people are still using easy-to-guess passwords like “password” or other words or phrases. Guess what: hackers have sophisticated software programs that can try to log in to your PC, account, web site, etc., at the rate of 8 million login attempts per SECOND. If your password is easy, they’re in. Your password should contain at least 8 characters, uppercase and lowercase letters, a number and a symbol (! or #, for example).
  • Use a secure password manager or Two Factor Authentication system to make it harder for the hackers to breakthrough.
  • Employees clicking on phishing e-mails or downloading virus-laden files is still the #1 way hackers gain access to and control of business networks. Therefore, you need to provide an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) that details what employees can and cannot do with company-owned devices, files, software, etc. Even better you can implement a Managed Security Policy that prevents non-business PC use in the first place.
  • Educate your employees! It’s vital that you and your employees can spot threats. You need to make them aware of how to spot a phishing e-mail or attack so they can avoid it altogether with effective Cyber Security Awareness Training.

Speak to our IT consultants to find out more about our IT security options for SMEs. Call us on 0203 005 9650 now.

 

 

Our Sunday Telegraph Wildix Article

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

Did you miss our Wildix advertorial in The Sunday Telegraph on Sunday 8th November 2020? Read it here!

Wildix main Telegraph
Our article in The Sunday Telegraph

As businesses adapt to staff working at home, it is imperative that remote workers have access to a reliable, secure and easy to use phone and communication system. Wildix is next generation VoIP, offering more features and functions to make it the first Unified Communication and Collaboration  platform.  Importantly, this secure access needs nothing more than a browser for your home and remote workers to connect!

As a Wildix partner, IT managed service provider Globalnet IT Innovations Ltd is rolling out the new platform to businesses across London, Essex and the South East. Globalnet MD, Robert Burdett said, “This is ground-breaking technology, making it quick and easy for remote staff to access the company phone system, with all the features you’d expect and a lot more.

“With nothing more than Google Chrome and a headset, your team can run a switchboard and communicate between teams and customers with voice and video. It can even integrate with your website for customer chat and direct calls to the right person to increase web sales by up to 52%, while saving up to 75% against landline costs.

“We’ve all become used to video conferencing and remote working with other tools over lockdown and this system brings those separate methods and more together. Wildix is truly affordable, fully integrated Unified Communication and Collaboration (UCC) suite to improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase sales.”

Find out more about the Wildix system. Call Globalnet on 0203 005 9650 or register your interest here.

Zerologon bug is most severe experienced by Microsoft

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

News has emerged that Microsoft patched a startlingly severe bug called Zerologon that affected Windows Servers. Dutch security company Secura B.V. released a blog post detailing how the bug works by taking over the Netlogon authentication process on Windows Servers and effectively gives hackers admin rights to the network and allows them to:

• impersonate the identity of any computer on a network when trying to authenticate against the domain controller
• disable security features in the Netlogon authentication process
• change a computer’s password on the domain controller’s Active Directory (a database of all computers joined to a domain, and their passwords)

The bug was named Zerologon, as the attack is achieved by adding zero characters in certain Netlogon authentication parameters.

The attack cannot happen outside a network as the hacker must already be in the network to launch the attack, but it’s claimed once inside, the attacker can take over an entire corporate network in just three seconds.
“This attack has a huge impact,” the Secura team said. “It basically allows any attacker on the local network (such as a malicious insider or someone who simply plugged in a device to an on-premise network port) to completely compromise the Windows domain.”

The bug has been given a 10/10 severity rating and is also a boon for malware and ransomware hackers, who often rely on infecting one computer inside a company’s network and then spreading to multiple others. With Zerologon, this task has been considerably simplified.

While Microsoft released the patch last month, it’s said requires a further install to fully resolve the problem which will be available in February 2021.

Globalnet updates all our clients with Microsoft and software patches automatically, as they are released. In Microsoft’s case, this is every week during what is known as Patch Tuesday. We have run exhaustive tests across all the networks we manage and can reassure our clients that they are currently up to date and safe from any attack via Zerologon.

9 Million EasyJet Customers’ Data Breached in Hack

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

A “highly sophisticated cyber-attack” in January has affected nine million EasyJet customers. EasyJet admitted the hack today.

EasyJet has said that email addresses and travel details had been stolen and that 2,208 customers had also had their credit card details “accessed” in the hack. The company claims there is no evidence that the data has been “misused”.

The budget airline says that it has informed the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office and is continuing to investigate the hack, which it claimed it first became aware of in January 2020.

EasyJet has said that the online channels affected by the attack have since been closed, and that, other than those identified, no other clients’ passport or card details had been shared.

In a statement it said, “We take issues of security extremely seriously and continue to invest to further enhance our security environment.

“There is no evidence that any personal information of any nature has been misused, however, on the recommendation of the ICO, we are communicating with the approximately nine million customers whose travel details were accessed to advise them of protective steps to minimise any risk of potential phishing,” the airline said in a statement.

EasyJet Hack Southend
EasyJet is one of London Southend Airport’s major operators
What should you do if you are affected by the EasyJet hack?

Globalnet always recommends that you use separate secure passwords for all online accounts. Hackers often post stolen details – email addresses, usernames and passwords – for sale on the dark web. Using the same password for multiple accounts, including business accounts or email accounts may grant hackers access to sensitive data, bank accounts or your company network.

If you are concerned that your data, or anybody else’s in your organisation may be compromised then it is vital that you change your password wherever it has been used on other accounts.

How can Globalnet help?

Globalnet’s security stack is arguably the most secure solution on the UK SME market. Our tools can monitor the dark web for company credentials being released, provide secure password generation and storage and protect networks to prevent ransomware and malware infecting your system.

Globalnet works with businesses throughout London, Essex, Kent and Herts to ensure their data and networks are secure from all threats. Call us on 0203 005 9650 today to find out how we can provide the right protection for you.

Globalnet aims to be an integral part of your success, providing the best business advice, superior IT support and technology to help you reach your goals. 

UK Cyber threats up 37%

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

Online threats have risen by as much as six-times their usual levels over the past four weeks as the COVID-19 pandemic provides new ballast for cyber-attacks, according to Cloudflare. The web security and content delivery vendor analyzed UK traffic figures for the past four weeks compared to the previous month and noted a sharp uptick in malicious activity.

It revealed that hacking and phishing attempts were up 37% month-on-month, while on some days, the firm was blocking between four- and six-times the number of attacks it would usually see. The firm said the uptick was the result of “recreational” hackers with more time on their hands. However, professional cyber-criminals are also using the global incident to further their own agendas. Phishing attempts have soared by over 600% since the end of February, including traditional impersonation scams but also business email compromise (BEC) and extortion attacks, according to Barracuda Networks.

In Hong Kong, likely state-sponsored attackers are even using the virus as a lure to trick users into clicking on news links booby-trapped with iOS spyware. Domain registrars are ramping up efforts to halt automatic registration of any website names that are linked to COVID-19, for fear they may be phishing sites or those selling counterfeit goods like surgical masks and pharmaceuticals.

Interpol announced last week that it had already managed to seize $14m worth of such fake goods. Even the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has been stepping in to remove malicious and phishing sites.

Aside from the rise in threat levels, Cloudflare also noted an overall uptick in internet use of 17%, as the majority of the country is urged to stay indoors and work from home. Online visits to tutoring sites grew most during the past four weeks, up 400%, while website numbers in categories such as politics (320%), TV (210%) and gardening (200%) also spiked.

Source: Infosecurity Magazine

Globalnet works with businesses throughout London, Essex, Kent and Herts to ensure their data and networks are secure from all threats. Call us on 0203 005 9650 today to find out how we can provide the right protection for you.

Globalnet aims to be an integral part of your success, providing the best business advice, superior IT support and technology to help you reach your goals. 

How To Quickly Shift To A Work-From-Home Business Model To Maximize Productivity In Today’s Coronavirus Environment

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

As a business owner today, you are now facing unprecedented challenges to help deal with the coronavirus pandemic. You are asked to self-isolate and practice social distancing to “flatten the curve.” You are asked to allow your employees to work from home to reduce possible exposure and slow the spread of COVID-19.

These are all reasonable requests. However, as a business owner you also need to maximize productivity, bring in revenue and try to grow your business in these demanding times. How can you accomplish these goals when your office is now a ghost town and productivity has fallen off a cliff?

The answer lies in setting up your office to function remotely. If you’ve never implemented a work-from-home policy before, it may seem like a whole different world. Managing an entirely remote workforce goes far beyond giving your employees a laptop and reminding them to check in every once in a while. After all, there are many factors most business owners haven’t ever had to consider, such as:

  • What technologies do I need?
  • How can my employees work from home without compromising the security of our network?
  • How can I make this new work environment as easy, comfortable and productive as possible?

We understand these are unique times. We know that “business as usual” is going to be quite different for an undetermined amount of time. But together we can help you adjust to today’s new normal by giving you the tools, technologies and insights to create a secure and productive work-from-home business environment. Here are three important considerations to getting you set up and running a successful work-from-home business:

1. Avoid employees using home computers or devices. Their mindset may be, “Well, I’m working from home so I may as well use my home computer.” This is a dangerous mistake. Our team works hard to ensure your company computers and network are secure and protected from malware, viruses and cyber-attacks. Their home computers and devices could be littered with tons of downloaded music, videos, images and more. Because it’s more exposed, it can invite malware into your network. Rather, provide a company-approved and secured computer/laptop for employees to use at home.

2. Secure their WiFi access point. Without a secure WiFi access point, you’re essentially leaving a back door open to hackers. That’s because WiFi signals are often broadcast far beyond your employees’ homes and out into streets. Yes, drive-by hacking is popular among cybercriminals today. A few tips for securing your employees’ WiFi access points:

  • Use stronger encryption and a more complex password
  • Hide your network name
  • Use a firewall

These security measures are not difficult to set up. But if you have any questions or need assistance, we will be happy to help get your employees set up remotely.

3. Use a two-factor authentication VPN. VPN stands for virtual private network. It’s essentially a private, encrypted tunnel that goes direct to your IT network in your office. Ideally, you’ll want your VPN to support two-factor authentication. This means it’s doubly secure because your employees will need to call in to access the network. If you don’t have a VPN for your employees to use, you can consider other services, such as Globalnet Connect, which we are currently offering FREE for two months.

As business owners ourselves, we too are having to pivot and work differently than we ever have before. However, because we have the technology and infrastructure in place, we are able to continue as normal, with little disruption to our usual service.

Our team wants to help your business survive and thrive during today’s unique environment. If you and your IT team need extra hands right now…or solutions to help your employees work SECURELY from home…we have software tools, expert staff and resources we’d like to offer you to keep your business as productive as possible.

FREE LIVE WEBINAR – Manage Your Remote Team

Most people managers are experiencing considerable challenges in managing their staff as team members work from home.  The traditional way of managing people doesn’t work, especially in the current environment.

This short webinar will help you to manage the day to day workloads and relationships on a day to day basis.

The reality is that COVID-19 has changed the way we work, potentially for good. This is an excellent opportunity to increase your skill base and ability to manage remote workers.

This 60-minute webinar provides:

5 Essential leadership behaviours

9 Key practices for home working efficiency 

8 Things you must do to maintain engagement

Up to date thinking on remote management

High quality support materials including tools to use in the workplace

Unbeatable offers

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

5 Steps To Rise Above The Fear Of COVID-19 And Focus On Growing Your Business

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

In a matter of just a few short weeks, we have gone from living how we’ve always lived to changing just about everything we do. Schools are out for weeks if not months. Cruises have stopped sailing, and most planes are grounded. Bars and restaurants are closed, sporting events are nonexistent and so many people are now worried about their jobs, if they still have them! If you watch the news or follow social media and see the number of infected keep rising, you can’t help but wonder when (or if) life will return to normal.

As a result of these unprecedented life changes in such a short amount of time, so many people today are frozen in fear. They don’t know what they can do and what they can’t do. They’re numb, fearful and questioning everything.

I believe that the accomplished and determined business owners in our world are facing a unique brand of fears: Will I lose sales and revenue due to the coronavirus? What if I have to lay people off? How can I keep my team and keep them working hard? How will I continue to provide for my family? How long will this last?

Here are five steps you can start taking now to stop being frozen in fear and move forward with your business, your family and living your life.

Step #1: Communicate Often

You should make an effort to constantly communicate with all of your stakeholders. From your employees to your customers to your partners and suppliers, stay in communication with them to share how your business is doing and how you can continue to serve them.

While in-person visits may not be ideal at this time, you can always resort to the good old phone, e-mail, videos or webinars. You can bet that if your customers aren’t hearing from you, they are hearing from your competitors.

Step #2: Be a Valuable Resource

While money is always important, now is the time to be a trusted resource and friend to your clients and prospects. People today need bold solutions. If you’re actively bringing solutions to your clients, you become a valuable resource. If they’re simply paying invoices and never hearing from you – especially in today’s environment – you’ll be first on the chopping block when they have to cut expenses.

Step #3: Rely on People

It’s ironic that the one time we need people more than ever before, we are supposed to socially distance ourselves and stay in our homes. Through video conferencing and web conferencing, work together with your team, your partners and your Accountability Groups to lean on one another. Because nobody has gone through anything like this before, nobody has all the answers. But as a collective group, you will find most every answer you need. Applications like Microsoft Teams and Zoom are perfect for face to face video calls. Teams is especially useful for group meetings with your employees, while Zoom is better for clients and suppliers.

Step #4: Be MORE Than a Businessperson

They may be your employees, your colleagues and your clients. But they are PEOPLE first. And just about everyone you interact with in your business world has endless stresses when the workday is done. Their kids are home from school all day getting into who knows what. They’re worried about going to the supermarket and if there will be meat and toilet paper. They’re concerned about keeping themselves and their family healthy.

When your clients and prospects start to see you not just as business cost, but as a friend and someone who truly cares, that’s when they want to do business with you for life.

Step #5: Be Informed But Not Obsessed

People were glued to their TVs for weeks after 9/11. As a result, although they were informed, they were also more stressed, depressed and fearful. Don’t do that to yourself. Yes, it’s prudent to know how to “flatten the curve” and protect your family, but watching too much news or social media right now can dominate your thinking and actions. That can negatively impact your business.

During this otherworldly pandemic, it’s good to have a little fear. To keep us safe. To keep us making good decisions. However, if you want to ensure your business is stable and growing, to help your family cope and get through this, you should take these steps to rise above the fear.

If you need immediate IT support or if you need help in setting your business up so your employees can work remotely from home, contact us today.

Globalnet works with businesses throughout London, Essex, Kent and Herts to ensure their data and networks are secure from all threats. Call us on 0203 005 9650 today to find out how we can provide the right protection for you.

Globalnet aims to be an integral part of your success, providing the best business advice, superior IT support and technology to help you reach your goals. 

How To Stop Cyber Attacks During Lockdown

Posted on by Jamie Harrison

The world is slowing down during this COVID-19 pandemic. People are no longer going out. We’re told to quarantine or self-isolate and not engage in groups.

You can bet there’s one group that’s not slowing down at all. In fact, they’re probably working overtime while the rest of us have our lives turned upside down. Cybercriminals and hackers know there’s no better time to strike than during a global crisis. While you are distracted and spending your time trying to make sense of this new normal, they are finding new ways into your IT network so they can steal data and passwords, compromise your clients’ private information and even demand large ransoms.

dark web scanning

Cybercrime is already on the rise and is expected to cause $6 TRILLION in damages by 2021! But, if history repeats itself, hackers will be out in full force throughout this coronavirus scare. We fully expect in the upcoming weeks that headlines will change from stories about COVID-19 to accounts of a frenzy of cyber-attacks on corporations and small businesses.

Here are solutions you can implement now to help protect your business data, money and productivity:

1. Be more suspicious of incoming e-mails

Because people are scared and confused right now, it’s the perfect time for hackers to send e-mails with dangerous malware and viruses. At this moment, your in-box is probably filled with “COVID-19” subject lines and coronavirus-focused e-mails. Always carefully inspect the e-mail and make sure you know the sender. There are realistic looking gov e-mail address out there now that are not legitimate and are spamming in-boxes across the country.

Avoid clicking links in the e-mail unless it’s clear where they go. And you should never download an attachment unless you know who sent it and what it is. Communicate these safeguards to everyone on your team, especially if they are working from home.

2. Ensure your work-from-home computers are secure

Another reason we expect a rise in cyber-attacks during this pandemic is the dramatic increase in employees working from home. Far too many employers won’t think about security as their team starts working at the kitchen table. That’s a dangerous precedent.

First, if possible, make sure your employees are not using their home computers or devices when working. We know this is economically and practically difficult for many firms, but there can be problems with malware and viruses on unsecured home computers, particularly if its the family computer used by everyone.

Second, ensure your work-at-home computers have a firewall that’s turned on. Finally, your network and data are not truly secure unless your employees utilize a VPN (virtual private network) or are using secure remote connections. If you need help in arranging your new work-from-home environment, we would be happy to get your entire team set up.

3. Improve your password strategy

During crises like the one we are all facing right now, your passwords could mean the difference between spending your time relearning how to grow your business and trying to recoup finances and private data that’s been hacked. Make a point now to reevaluate your passwords and direct your team to create stronger passwords.

Also, while it’s so convenient to save your passwords in your web browser, it also lessens your security. Because web browsers simply require their own password or PIN to access saved passwords, a skilled hacker can bypass this hurdle. Once they access your saved passwords, they can steal as much as they want – credit card information, customers’ private data and more!

Instead, you should consider a password manager to keep all of your passwords in one place. These password managers feature robust security. A few options are LastPass, 1Password and Keeper Security Password Manager.

You, your team and your family have enough to concern yourselves with in regards to staying healthy, living a more isolated lifestyle and keeping your business strong. There’s no need to invite in more problems by letting your computer and network security slide during these times.

If you need additional security advice or would like to have a consultation to discuss how to keep your data safe, simply connect with us today.

Globalnet works with businesses throughout London, Essex, Kent and Herts to ensure their data and networks are secure from all threats. Call us on 0203 005 9650 today to find out how we can provide the right protection for you.

Globalnet aims to be an integral part of your success, providing the best business advice, superior IT support and technology to help you reach your goals.