"System Force I.T. Computer, Printer, plotter repairs and Maintenance

"System Force I.T. Computer, Printer, plotter repairs and Maintenance System Force IT Limited delivers managed IT services, cyber security, VoIP and business connectivity

The Information Commissioner’s Office has changed gear. In the first half of 2025 it collected around seven times more i...
08/09/2026

The Information Commissioner’s Office has changed gear. In the first half of 2025 it collected around seven times more in fines than in the whole of 2024, and the average penalty jumped from roughly £150,000 to over £2.8 million. The striking thing is not the size of the fines, though. It is what causes them. Almost every one traces back to a basic security failure that would have been cheap to fix.
For a small or medium business, the lesson is not “we might get a huge fine”, because you almost certainly will not be fined millions. It is that the same failures that cost big organisations millions are the exact ones that let attackers into small ones, with the same painful results.
Big fines, basic failures
Look at the recent cases and a pattern jumps out:

- Advanced Computer Software (£3.07m). Attackers got in through a customer account that had no multi-factor authentication, then launched ransomware that disrupted healthcare services for tens of thousands of people.

The ICO's biggest fines nearly all trace back to missing basics like MFA. What UK SMEs should learn, and why Cyber Essentials is the baseline that prevents them.

Why Having Backups for Office 365 Should Be Paramount to Every BusinessOffice 365 is a popular cloud-based suite of prod...
07/09/2026

Why Having Backups for Office 365 Should Be Paramount to Every Business
Office 365 is a popular cloud-based suite of productivity applications that enables businesses to work efficiently and collaboratively. However, many businesses may not realize that relying solely on Office 365 for data protection and recovery is a risky strategy that could result in data loss, downtime, and compliance issues. In this article, we will explain why having backups for Office 365 should be paramount to every business, and why you should not rely on Microsoft to make sure your data is safe.
Office 365 Data Protection Limitations
While Microsoft provides a robust and reliable cloud infrastructure for Office 365, it does not guarantee the protection and retention of your data. Microsoft’s primary responsibility is to ensure the availability and functionality of its services, not to prevent data loss or corruption due to user errors, malicious actions, malware, or other causes.

Office 365 is a popular cloud-based suite of productivity applications that enables businesses to work efficiently and collaboratively.

A widely-used WordPress plugin that lets website visitors log in using their Google, Microsoft or Facebook account has b...
06/09/2026

A widely-used WordPress plugin that lets website visitors log in using their Google, Microsoft or Facebook account has been found to contain a critical security flaw, and at the time of writing there is no patch available from the vendor. If your website uses the miniOrange WordPress OAuth Single Sign-On plugin, the only safe action right now is to deactivate and remove it.
What has happened?
Security researcher Kim Dvash identified a critical authentication bypass vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-57807, in the miniOrange WordPress OAuth Single Sign-On (SSO OAuth Client) plugin. The flaw was reported on 6 June 2026 and published to the Patchstack vulnerability database on 9 July 2026. Patchstack is one of the main registries that tracks security weaknesses specifically in WordPress plugins and themes.
The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 9.8 out of 10.

A critical unpatched flaw (CVE-2026-57807, CVSS 9.8) in the miniOrange WordPress OAuth SSO plugin lets attackers log in as admin with no password. Find out what to do now.

On 28 July 2026, security researchers at Wordfence discovered that version 10.8.7 of the Advanced Responsive Video Embed...
05/09/2026

On 28 July 2026, security researchers at Wordfence discovered that version 10.8.7 of the Advanced Responsive Video Embedder (ARVE) WordPress plugin had been deliberately backdoored. Someone had hidden malicious code inside a routine plugin update — code that hands an attacker full administrator access to any WordPress site running it, with no password required.
What is ARVE, and what happened?
ARVE is a popular WordPress plugin that lets website owners embed videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Rumble and other platforms. Around 20,000 websites have the plugin installed. On 28 July, version 10.8.7 was pushed to the plugin repository with malicious code already inside it — a classic supply-chain attack, where an attacker compromises a legitimate software update to distribute malware to trusting users.
The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-18072 and carries a critical severity score of 9.8 out of 10 under the CVSS rating system — the highest category of vulnerability a plugin can receive.

A secret backdoor in ARVE WordPress plugin version 10.8.7 (CVE-2026-18072, CVSS 9.8) lets attackers gain full admin access with no password. Check your site and act now.

IntroductionIn the modern business landscape, effective communication is the backbone of success. As organisations evolv...
04/09/2026

Introduction
In the modern business landscape, effective communication is the backbone of success. As organisations evolve, so do their communication needs. Today, companies face a pivotal decision: should they invest in Business VoIP Systems or stick with Traditional Phone Systems?
This choice is not just about technology; it significantly impacts operational efficiency, employee productivity, and overall cost management. Business VoIP Systems leverage the power of the internet, offering flexibility and advanced features that can propel your organisation forward. On the other hand, Traditional Phone Systems have served businesses for decades, providing reliability but often at a higher cost and with limited capabilities.
In this article, we will explore the critical differences between these two communication solutions. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which system best fits your business needs.

A Comparison of Business VoIP Systems and Traditional Phone Systems on cost, flexibility, and reliability insights with SystemForce IT!

The UK government has confirmed it will legislate three new measures specifically targeting ransomware attacks. The anno...
03/09/2026

The UK government has confirmed it will legislate three new measures specifically targeting ransomware attacks. The announcements followed a formal public consultation, and the parliamentary process is well underway: the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill completed its Commons stages on 10 June 2026 and has moved to the House of Lords, while a separate Cyber Extortion and Ransomware (Reporting) Bill is also progressing through Parliament. Royal Assent on the main bill is expected later in 2026, with phased implementation likely to extend into 2027 and 2028.
The direction of travel is clear. Businesses that start preparing now will be in a much stronger position than those who wait for the deadline to arrive.
The three new ransomware measures
1. A payment ban for public sector organisations
NHS trusts, local councils, schools, and organisations operating critical national infrastructure – utilities, transport, financial services – will be prohibited from paying ransomware demands.

The UK government has confirmed mandatory ransomware reporting within 72 hours, a payment notification regime, and a public sector payment ban. Here is what SMBs need to prepare now.

A significant piece of UK legislation is making its way through Parliament – and if your business uses an IT support com...
02/09/2026

A significant piece of UK legislation is making its way through Parliament – and if your business uses an IT support company, it matters to you directly. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill passed the House of Commons on 10 June 2026 and received its first reading in the House of Lords on 17 June. Peers are due to debate its principles at second reading on 14 July 2026, with Royal Assent expected later this year.
When it comes into force – implementation is expected to be phased through to 2028 – it will do something that has not happened before in UK law: it will place IT companies like ours under direct government regulation.
What Is This Bill?
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill updates the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018.

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will put IT companies under direct ICO regulation for the first time. Here is what UK businesses need to know and why your choice of IT provider now matters more.

On Sunday 31 August, tens of thousands of businesses sat down to work and found that Microsoft 365 simply would not let ...
01/09/2026

On Sunday 31 August, tens of thousands of businesses sat down to work and found that Microsoft 365 simply would not let them in. Email stalled, Teams calls dropped, files in SharePoint and OneDrive were unreachable, and even the admin console IT teams would normally use to investigate was down. It lasted more than twelve hours, and it was the third significant Microsoft 365 outage of 2026, after similar incidents in April and June.

If your business runs on Microsoft 365, and most UK businesses now do, it is worth taking half an hour to think about what you would actually do the next time this happens. Because there will be a next time.

Ask yourself honestly:

- If your email stopped right now, how would your customers reach you, and you them?
- If nobody could log in, would your phones still work, or do they run through Teams?
- Would your team know what to do, or would they simply sit and wait for it to come back?

Microsoft 365 went down for 12+ hours on 31 August 2026. What to do during an outage, what it costs, and how to keep your business running next time.

If your business holds a Cyber Essentials certificate, or you have been thinking about getting one, there is something y...
01/09/2026

If your business holds a Cyber Essentials certificate, or you have been thinking about getting one, there is something you need to know. The rules changed in April 2026, and the goalposts have shifted enough that businesses renewing their certification could now fail on things that were previously fine.
Here is what changed, why the timing still matters, and what you should do next.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification scheme run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It checks that your business has five core security controls in place: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection, and patch management. Holding a certificate shows you have done the security basics correctly, and it is required by many government and public sector contracts. It is also increasingly expected by larger clients as a condition of working together.
What happened in April 2026?

New MFA rules mean businesses can fail Cyber Essentials automatically from April 2026 - and the ICO has now linked CE to GDPR compliance. Here is what to check.

Most business owners know they need a cookie consent banner on their website. Fewer are aware that the maximum fine for ...
31/08/2026

Most business owners know they need a cookie consent banner on their website. Fewer are aware that the maximum fine for getting it wrong has jumped from £500,000 to £17.5 million.
That change came into force on 5 February 2026 as part of the Data (Use and Access) Act – the biggest overhaul of UK data protection law since UK GDPR was introduced. The Act also introduced new rules around cookies that businesses need to understand, including some helpful simplifications alongside a sharply elevated risk for those who fall short.
What changed under PECR
PECR – the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations – are the rules that govern cookies, direct marketing emails, and electronic communications. They sit alongside UK GDPR but cover a different area: where UK GDPR focuses on how personal data is collected and processed, PECR focuses specifically on privacy in electronic communications and online tracking.

UK cookie consent fines jumped from £500,000 to £17.5 million in 2026. Three new exemptions apply, but the stakes for getting it wrong are much higher. Here is what UK businesses need to check.

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Units C1 And C2 Brearley Place, Baird Road, Quedgeley
Quedgeley
GL22GB

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Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
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Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
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