Blog | NZ Managed IT Services | CT Business Solutions
CT's Blog | Because we don't know what we don't know. These Blog Articles and Updates are offered as an educational service for our clients and prospects. You might even find something useful for your business here.
The Benefits of Firewalls for Small Businesses
Firewalls are essential for small businesses to protect their networks, data, and operations from malicious cyberattacks. Firewalls create a barrier between the internal network ...Read More...
Do your staff have low tech skills and feel ashamed?
Many employers may assume that Gen Z and Millennial employees are proficient in technology, but this is not always the case. This assumption is causing some employees to feel ...Read More...
Value of Trust: Small Amount Can Create a Strong Foundation
Many employers still believe that their employees cannot perform their best work unless they are physically present in the office. However, research from around the world has ...Read More...
The Benefits of Trouble-Free IT
Trouble-free IT, also known as proactive IT, is a approach to managing and maintaining an organization's information technology (IT) infrastructure. Rather than waiting for issues ...Read More...
Cyber Thieves Targeting Windows Systems
Microsoft's Windows has been one of the primary targets of cyber criminals. They are looking to hack your data, compromise your operation, or hold your data to ransom. This ...Read More...
The Key to Never Remembering Your Password Again
Passkeys are expected to take the place of traditional passwords to give us a safer, stronger method for logging onto our on-line accounts. Cyber security is becoming rapidly ...Read More...
Are Your Employees Shopping on Company Time
About 50% of social media users admitted falling for scams when shopping online. So if you want to prevent members of your team taking advantage of an employer-owned server to get ...Read More...
Who Will Lead Office Collaboration: Zoom or Teams
We think Zoom; we think video calls. Millions of people worldwide use the software to remain in contact with one another, and it is a tool that companies use each day at ...Read More...
Why you won't succeed with this Cloud9
We make sure that our clients stay safe online by trying to assist them from security threats, such as keyloggers that monitor your user info or DDoS (Distributed Denial of ...Read More...
Stop Wasting Time Setting Up Video Calls
Each member of your team could be losing a couple hours of the week in setting up video conferencing calls. Video conference have revolutionised meetings between individuals ...Read More...
"The Dangers of 'Walking the Plank' with Illegal Software"
A lot of small businesses want to purchase non-certified illegal software to lower costs. A new study reveals a surprising number of businesses willing to break the law. We'd ...Read More...
Microsoft Teams and Channels | What you need to know
Microsoft Teams and Channels. What are they all about? Some best practice guidelines for setting up your business’s teams and channels. Microsoft Teams and Channels ...Read More...
Making Teams meetings more fun with avatars
Do you groan inwardly (or outwardly) at the very thought of another video call or meeting? Even though, these calls and meetings have become a common part of the modern ...Read More...
Windows 12: Everything you need to know
Although Windows 11 is barely a year old, we have already begun hearing rumours about Windows 12, which we expect to have by 2024. We have plenty of time until this next ...Read More...
Are you sharing sensitive data on Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has now become one of the business world's most useful tools for the modern workplace and the way we work today. Wherever your staff may be located, they can ...Read More...
Is your Zoom download safe or bogus and full of malware
When you consider tools for working remotely Zoom is probably one of the first applications you would think of. Cyber thieves have taken advantage of the fact that the ...Read More...
Move to the cloud or not? | That is the Question
To start, Who what and where is the cloud. Good question! A common perception of the term “cloud” could lead us to believe that your data is stored “somewhere” in the ...Read More...
Why Android 13 is the Safest Option for Your Business.
Smartphones have changed our everyday Life. That means that most of your staff are likely to use their phones for work-related purposes. Everyone does it. The problem ...Read More...
Strong Passwords are Vital
Strong Passwords are Vital, However, everything about them seems so difficult. Unfortunately Great passwords are: Difficult to think upEven harder to rememberIt's very ...Read More...
Make sure your cloud server is protected from this
Using a cloud server to drive your business’s technologies is a clever idea. The benefits of cloud services can be extensive. You can use as little or as much storage as your ...Read More...
Your USB cable will soon get a speed boost
Your USB cable is about to get a speed boost. Everybody is familiar with USB. Since 1996 we have been utilising it with our computers, and now with mobile devices as ...Read More...
Is your team gullible enough to fall for this trap
Cybercriminals are notorious for consistently inventing different ways to trick us into disclosing login details or sensitive data. Thinking that your team might spot an attempted ...Read More...
7 Benefits of Using a Managed Print Service
Here we list 7 Benefits of Using a Managed Print Service. The majority of Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) are searching for methods to increase efficiency and reduce expenses. ...Read More...
Why you need to backup your Microsoft 365 data
Whilst Microsoft provides powerful services within Microsoft 365, it is important to note that comprehensive backup of your Microsoft 365 data is not one of them. Of over 1,000 ...Read More...
Are you using a malicious browser extension?
There are hundreds of thousands of browser extensions designed to help us to save time, be more productive, and personalise our online experience. And while the majority of ...Read More...
How to get the perfect video call setup, whatever your budget
Have you noticed how hybrid and remote workers fall into one of two categories when it comes to video calling? The first group are those who use the built-in webcam on their ...Read More...
Windows 10 is getting a very useful Windows 11 feature
There’s no denying that Windows 11 has a lot of really cool new features. If you haven’t made the move from Windows 10 yet, you’re missing out. But there’s good news, ...Read More...
Cyber Security | What can you do to secure your business
What should I be doing to secure my business? One of the first realisations about CyberSecurity is that security is much more than stopping people “hacking in” It is ...Read More...
Under pressure to take urgent action? Stop and think
Phishing scams are one of the biggest security threats to your business right now. A massive 83% of organisations said they suffered successful attacks last year. And with just ...Read More...
Budgeting for IT hardware and leasing options
Nothing is more true than the fact that IT moves quickly these days! Part of keeping up with IT and the rapid changes is making sure that your business has the right equipment ...Read More...
Protecting your IT equipment from weather events
Given the recent spate of storm events, and the weather experts saying we’re going to get more in the future, now is the time to check your IT gear is protected from weather ...Read More...
Is working from home really good for your business?
Working from home. Or remote working, as it’s now called. It’s the big thing in business, isn’t it? And some people love it. They’re happier working where they want, ...Read More...
What does the global chip shortage mean for your business?
For the past couple of years, the tech world has been struggling with a huge shortage of chips. But it’s not just tech businesses that are feeling the impact. So many ...Read More...
If any of your staff work remotely, you need to be on top of this
Remote and hybrid working is now the norm for a lot of people. But a recent survey has found that, despite it being more than two years since many of us were forced to work ...Read More...
Apps That Could Be a Security Risk
Much of the software and applications you're using today are different from the one your business used before the pandemic. Thus, we all had to make major modifications to the ...Read More...
Microsoft’s taking a responsible leadership position on AI
Microsoft’s decided to retire and rework an AI tool that could not only recognise our facial features, but also identify our mood. Azure Face is an emotion recognition tool. ...Read More...
Ever wondered if your apps are spying on you? Now you can find out
It’s no secret that some applications are a little too interested in us and what we’re doing. We’ve all had this experience. You might be talking to a friend about a new ...Read More...
Your business is losing hundreds of hours to spam every year
Spam emails. Everyone hates them. It’s not just the emotional pain of clearing spam from your inbox. Having to do that is a real productivity killer, too. A recent report ...Read More...
Google Chrome to Block Pesky Notifications
When surfing the web, does it feel as if you're consistently bombarded by content designed to appeal to you? Not only that we have to click on permissions for cookies and ...Read More...
How Small Businesses Can Utilise Penetration Testing
Penetration testing? Maybe later. Besides, why would someone attack a small business when there are big targets out there? This mindset, that a small organisation cannot be ...Read More...
Password Management Helps Your Business Stay Secure
The ever-increasing need for cyber security combined with escalating threats is why it is crucial that all businesses have a strong password management system in place. Weak and ...Read More...
Protecting your IT when Employees Leave
So it didn’t work with your newest employee, in fact it didn’t work out would be an understatement…they left under quite a cloud! A recent Symantec study states that ...Read More...
How a Managed Service provider can help your business
In IT we love to use fancy jargon, and a Managed Service provider or MSP is no exception. In this article we will break down what a Managed Service Provider is, how it can help ...Read More...
Five Top IT Tips: Good Working Practices
Five top tips: Good working practices in the office There are so many easy things that you can do to ensure you keep good working practices either at home or in the office. ...Read More...
Cyber security mistakes businesses make
In today's business environment, cyber security is more important than ever. However, many businesses make mistakes when it comes to cyber security. One of the biggest mistakes ...Read More...
Communication is key!
How Microsoft 365 Exchange has revolutionized and simplified communications for a Kapiti Kitchen company. Meet Orchard Joinery Meet Orchard Joinery. A family-owned business ...Read More...
Routers equal Security plus Speed
More than just that flashing box, lighting up like a disco in the corner of the room, routers play a particularly vital role in keeping your business safe, and your data secure, ...Read More...
Never Use Your Browser's Password Manager
For a long time now many employees have been in the habit of saving their passwords in the web browser's password manager. Microsoft Edge is even introducing a new and improved ...Read More...
Microsoft Planner and how can it help your business?
Many businesses in New Zealand use Microsoft Planner. Planner is a tool within the Microsoft Office 365 suite. Planner is an easy way to organise teamwork with intuitive, ...Read More...
Microsoft 365, the Key to Communication
We have seen an explosion in the ways we communicate, and, in the ways, we use these forms of communication. The last few years have seen people that would have rather picked up ...Read More...
Empowering Your Business With Microsoft Teams
Meet Northland Kindergarten Association: The Northland Kindergarten Association or NKA, has 25 kindergartens between Kaitaia in the Far North, to Ruawai in the heart of ...Read More...
Avoid Document Disaster | Empowering your Business
The POWER Trifecta Solution for Document Automation The environment in which we operate has significantly changed. Businesses in New Zealand have been driven to embrace remote ...Read More...
Document Management | How to Save Time
Meet Quality Foods Southland Meet Quality Foods Southland or QFS for short. What started as a humble bakery and Café in the 1900s by Annie C Miller, grew into New Zealand’s ...Read More...
Top IT Tips for 2022
A New Year is a definitely a chance to kick things off the way you mean to go on. Here is an ITA blog with some top tech tips for 2022 – obviously, ask us at CT Business ...Read More...
Top Christmas Computer Tips
2021 may be the Christmas that we all collectively exhale and exclaim “Thank goodness this year is over”. However, before you rush out the office door for Christmas time, ...Read More...
Passwords made simple! What is MFA and 2FA?
Let’s be honest. Remembering passwords on top of the million other things to do in any given day is a lot. Are your team’s passwords fairly similar across multiple online ...Read More...
Cyber Insurance | Do you need it?
Cyber Security is a very real threat to businesses in New Zealand these days. Here we look at Cyber Insurance, what it is, what the laws are and why you need it. Why do you need ...Read More...
Microsoft Teams vs. Zoom
Microsoft Teams or Zoom? Which one is the best for you? Meeting anyone? Remember the good ole days here in the Waikato, when we all used to cram into a conference room, pass ...Read More...
Cyber Security – The Risks and what you can do.
Ransomware threats are on the rise globally, and Cyber Security is the buzzword now for anyone even here in New Zealand. Not only is there a very real threat present for ...Read More...
The new Windows 11 - Its coming this year!
It doesn't seem that long ago, that businesses here in New Zealand were told that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows ever. Well, Windows 11 has just been announced ...Read More...
Hacking in Your Own Back Yard
Having compromised IT is way more common than you might think. Often those that have been compromised have no idea they are. It is not just overseas companies that are targeted ...Read More...
The Data Protection Solution
The Data Protection Solution; How Microsoft DLP (Data Loss Protection) could help keep your data safe. If you are a health practitioner, accountant, lawyer. Marketer, or you deal ...Read More...
New Strains of Covid-19 - Business Risk Reduction and working from home.
With the discovery of more the new and more highly contagious strains of Covid-19 from both the UK and South Africa being detected each day by NZ’s MIQ, many experts feel that ...Read More...
Privacy Breach Reporting
The Resurgence of Privacy Breach Reporting. There has been an unprecedented amount of hacking and ransomware attacks both in the Waikato and New Zealand in 2020. As a result, in ...Read More...
The Cyber Security Threat Landscape
Now, more than ever, it is important to secure your data. Cybersecurity threats to your organisation, your staff and your clients are becoming a regular occurrence here in the ...Read More...
Transparency in Tech
Working remotely has brought many challenges as well as silver linings to the way we now do business. We reached out to some of our valued customers to find out what they found ...Read More...
Microsoft 365 – More than Just Email
23 Dec 2020A cheat sheet to help you make the most of your Microsoft 365 subscription. If you have Microsoft 365 for business, we want to make sure you are making the most of it. ...Read More...
How to Reduce Cybersecurity Risk
Cyber-attacks are swiftly accelerating globally and close to home here in the Waikato, with SME’s continuing to be a target. Investing a few minutes thinking about how to reduce ...Read More...
Keep Your Remote Workers Safe
As the coronavirus madness continues to spread globally, many organisations are instituting mandatory remote work policies. While many companies may find remote work new and ...Read More...
Save $$, Go Proactive
How proactive IT management can save you money and mitigate risk. Do you find yourself so caught up in other areas of your business that you tend to only manage your IT when ...Read More...
Why You Should Use Windows Ransomware Protection
Windows 10 already has ransomware protection built in to the Windows Defender application. Unfortunately in a standard Windows 10 Installation it is turned off by default. Given ...Read More...
Microsoft Teams: More than just video conferencing
There are plenty of options available for video conferencing at the moment, which has been extremely useful with many people working from home in the current environment. Skype, ...Read More...
Strengthen Your Password Policy
Small to medium size kiwi businesses are increasingly being targeted by unscrupulous hackers, and cyber-criminals which often leads to loss of confidential data, intellectual ...Read More...
Office 365 Compromised Email
03/05/2019; Lately we have been attending to a lot of clients who have had their Office 365 email compromised. The type of compromise where one of your good customers gets sent an ...Read More...
April 2019 Patch Tuesday
A slew of very important security updates were released today by Microsoft in their April 2019 Patch Tuesday update (Wednesday here in New Zealand). Two of the serious flaws that ...Read More...
Contract Tracing Covid-19
Contract Tracing and what it means for Hamilton Business's. Preparing your business for contact. Covid-19 Level Three is here and Level Two is on its way. It's is time to ...Read More...
The Covid-19 Technology Transformation
Covid-19 Technology - The big question on everyone’s mind is where to next? With the movement to Alert Level 3 on April 28th, what does this look like for your business ...Read More...
Stolen Logins - Is Someone Spying on You?
02 Feb 2019; Lately we have had a lot of calls regarding high levels of malicious emails. This is especially dangerous to businesses poorly trained in Basic Cyber-Security. Why ...Read More...
The Trouble With Office 365
These days small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly moving their critical data to the cloud via Microsoft Office 365. While Microsoft focuses on keeping data available, ...Read More...
Disgruntled Security Researcher discloses Zero-Day vulnerability.
28 Aug 2018; A security researcher known as “SandboxEscaper”, apparently frustrated at trying to communicate a Zero Day exploit to Microsoft’s “Report a Computer Security ...Read More...
Office 365 vs. Microsoft 365 - Confused?
Please explain Today’s business environment continues to move to the cloud and the associated cloud applications which entail a monthly subscription fee. Included in this trend ...Read More...
VPNfilter Botnet Attacks Common Routers
25/05/2018; At least half a million common routers and storage devices in dozens of countries around the world have been infected by a sophisticated botnet, in preparation for an ...Read More...
Twitter password leak on world password day
03/05/2018 Twitter is urging all 336 million users to change their passwords after a bug exposed them in plain text. The company says they have since fixed the issue and there is ...Read More...
Cyber Security Update
28/05/2018; According to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN), and their latest Cyber Security Update, a snapshot for the period ending 31 March 2018, shows ...Read More...
City of Atlanta | Offline due to Ransomware Attack
23/03/2018; FBI investigating computer outages in the city's network possibly tied to Samsam-type ransomware variant. The City of Atlanta’s computer network has fallen victim ...Read More...
The Current State of Ransomware
Attacks are up. Payments are down. Attacks - The Bad News Reports from MalwareBytes tracked a 90% increase in the number of detected ransomware attacks. The SophosLabs 2018 ...Read More...
Half of your employees are probably wasting 3 hours a day
In a Salary.com survey of over 2,500 employees, nearly ½ of the group admitted to wasting 1-3 hours every day on the web surfing non-related activities. With all of the pressures ...Read More...
Spectre and Meltdown Vulnerability
07/02/2018; Whilst malicious activity with this vulnerability has yet to be seen, independent research this week by AV-TEST shows that there are now 139 malware samples that can ...Read More...
Free Antivirus for your Android Smartphone
Sophos Mobile Security for Android Overview Our free Mobile Security app provides full functionality to protect your Android device without reducing performance or battery ...Read More...