Essential Tech

17/06/2026

The recent Canvas breach showed how attackers can exploit weaknesses in account creation processes, access large amounts of data, and disrupt an entire cloud platform. Because Canvas is SaaS (software you access over the internet), the outage became a single point of failure for everyone who relied on it.

⚠️ Stronger identity protection is essential: Attackers took advantage of weaknesses in the identity process. Phishing resistant MFA and passwordless logins make this much harder.

⚠️ Keeping too much data increases the damage:
Canvas stored years of messages and records, leaving more data exposed. Regular clean ups and clear retention rules reduce the impact of data breaches.

⚠️ When a SaaS platform goes down, core functions stop:
The Canvas outage affected communication, services, and day to day operations. Every organisation should plan for SaaS outages, not just server failures.

⚠️ Vendors are part of your security:
Cloud providers and integrations need clear expectations around breach notifications, recovery, and access permissions.

⚠️ Social engineering follows most breaches: Stolen details are often used to create convincing phishing or impersonation attempts. Staff should be prepared for this.

Canvas paid a ransom to the ShinyHunters group, but Australian authorities strongly advise against paying - it doesn’t guarantee recovery or prevent further harm.

👉 If this incident has made you rethink your SaaS use, data retention, or vendor security, contact us to review your environment and strengthen your defences: https://essentialtech.com.au/contact/

15/06/2026

Tech Tip Tuesday: When you’re working across cloud locations, shared drives, and local folders, it’s easy for important files to end up on the Desktop or in Documents simply because it’s the fastest place to save something in the moment.

Switching on OneDrive’s ‘Known Folder Move’ automatically protects your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders by syncing them to OneDrive.

It reduces data loss risks, speeds up device replacements, and supports compliance with reliable record keeping - with minimal change to how you work.

14/06/2026

AI agents are popping up everywhere - in Microsoft 365, SaaS apps, and on staff devices. The challenge is knowing what they can access and whether they’re operating safely.

Microsoft Agent 365 gives businesses the visibility and control they’ve been missing:

✅ Discover all AI agents across apps, devices, and clouds
✅ Govern what they can access and how they behave
✅ Apply the same security policies you use for people and devices
✅ Block or restrict unmanaged ‘shadow AI’
✅ Monitor agent activity across Microsoft 365, Windows, SaaS, and more.

It’s a big step toward proper security and governance as AI becomes more autonomous.

Read Microsoft’s post for a full breakdown of what’s new:
👉 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/05/01/microsoft-agent-365-now-generally-available-expands-capabilities-and-integrations/

👉 Or get in touch if you’d like to speak to one of our Microsoft experts: https://essentialtech.com.au/contact/microsoft-expert/

12/06/2026

Internet Outage Reported!

Did you know that in our service Portal, you can see important Updates that may affect services provided by Essential Tech? We will be providing updates from our providers as they become available.

10/06/2026

From 1 July, Australia’s expanded Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) laws will apply to law firms, real estate, conveyancers, accountants, trust & company service providers, and precious metal/stone dealers.

If your business is preparing for new verification and record keeping obligations, you might be looking at AI enabled AML tools to help manage the extra workload.

Before you invest, it’s important to make sure your technology environment can support these tools.

Read our blog to understand what you should review before choosing AML technology:

🔗 https://essentialtech.com.au/prepare-your-systems-before-implementing-aml-technology/

If you’re unsure whether your environment can meet the new obligations, Essential Tech can help you assess and strengthen the systems AML tools rely on: https://essentialtech.com.au/contact/

08/06/2026

Tech Tip Tuesday: Customers can contact your business through chat, email, SMS, or phone. When they choose to call, the phone menu has to be easy for them to navigate.

Cloud telephony gives you all the data you need to keep it sharp and intuitive - usage data, drop off points, and insight into what callers actually need.

Small adjustments make a big difference to customer experience - trimming long menus, offering a callback instead of a queue, and making sure there’s a simple, logical path to the right person.

It keeps callers happier, reduces abandonment, and protects your brand reputation.

Contact us for more: https://essentialtech.com.au/microsoft/

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07/06/2026

Fast-tracked Invoices, last minute approvals, payroll finalisation, reconciliations, audits - EOFY is the perfect environment for cybercriminals who rely on speed, pressure, and human error.

💸 Invoice fraud is still one of the easiest ways Australian businesses lose money.
Not because the scams are clever - but because they’re designed to look exactly like every day admin.

Attackers can impersonate a supplier, slip into a mailbox with weak security, or reply inside an existing email thread. AI has made the writing harder to spot, but the tells haven’t changed.

What still gives a fake away:

⚠️ ABN mismatch
⚠️ Bank details have changed
⚠️ An email address that’s almost right - extra letters, swapped characters, missing letters, or a different domain extension.
⚠️ Operational inconsistencies - invoice numbers that don’t follow the usual pattern, formatting that’s slightly off, or attachments named differently. AI can mimic tone - it can’t mimic habits.

Fake invoices work because they blend into normal business. Teach your team the red flags and you’ll stop most scams before the damage is done.

Contact us to discuss your tech and cyber security needs.

04/06/2026

👑 Most of Australia will be getting a long weekend with the King’s Birthday public holiday on Monday 8 June. Sorry, not you Queensland and Western Australia - you’ll get your turn later in the year!

Enjoy the break. And if technology decides to misbehave, we’ll still be here to help 24/7.

Contact us: www.essentialtech.com.au/contact

03/06/2026

Essential Tech’s Director of Sales and Partner, Brendan Felstead, recently presented alongside Shaun Capps from Check Point Software at the : Australasian Legal Practice Management Association ‘Incident Response, Cyber Security: New Threats & Proactive Measures’ event.

The session explored how the cyber threat landscape is shifting and the significance for law firms in strengthening incident response capability and security posture.

Live polling during the session gave a strong indication of where firms are positioned today and where improvements are needed:

💠 Many firms feel confident they could identify a notifiable breach, but few have actually tested their response process
💠 Detection timelines are still widely underestimated - most assume days, but the reality is often 30+ days
💠 AI is reshaping both attack methods and internal risk, as adversaries scale targeting and firms adopt unassessed AI tools
💠 Law firms remain a priority target due to the sensitivity and volume of client data they hold
💠 The biggest gaps aren’t always technical, they’re operational: ownership, decision making structure, and leadership alignment in the first hours of an incident

The good news? Improving resilience doesn’t require major disruption. Strengthening the first 72 hours of your response, running tabletop exercises, and adopting structured, certifiable frameworks like SMB1001 can make a big difference.

Cyber resilience today is defined by readiness and response. Incidents may be unavoidable, but how a firm communicates, coordinates, and recovers is what truly shapes outcomes.

A big thank you to ALPMA for hosting the event, and to the and Sandra Pepper for featuring the session in Proctor.

🔗 Read the article here: https://www.qlsproctor.com.au/2026/05/artificial-intelligence-amplifying-the-efficiency-of-cyber-attacks-on-firms/

If your firm is reviewing its approach or exploring frameworks like SMB1001, our team is here to help.

Security specialists warned that attackers are now using the same AI tools as legitimate organisations to target the profession.

02/06/2026

🚀 Introducing Essential Tech’s New Product Portal

We’re excited to launch a new way for your organisation to source the technology you need.

The Essential Tech Product Portal is your central hub to browse, compare and purchase IT hardware, software, cybersecurity tools and cloud services directly from our trusted suppliers.

Whether you're upgrading devices, expanding your security stack or standardising your equipment, the portal makes procurement simple, secure and efficient.

✅ Browse with confidence
✅ Compare products easily
✅ Order directly from verified suppliers
✅ Track your purchases in real-time

Explore the portal today and see how easy it is to source the right tech for your organisation.

+++ Check out our Laptop and Bundle Deals of the Month!

Shop now: https://shop.essentialtech.com.au/