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05/06/2026

😬 Researchers just demonstrated how to unlock certain Android phones in under a minute.
While the phone is switched off. Via USB. No dodgy links, no suspicious apps — just the right tools and physical access to your device.
They targeted phones running MediaTek chips (found in a huge number of Android devices), got into the secure part of the hardware where your encryption keys live, and from there? Everything was accessible. Messages, photos, files, even crypto wallet data.
Now before you panic — this isn't a remote attack. Someone needs your actual phone in their hands.
But here's the thing. Phones get lost. Phones get stolen. Phones get left on pub tables while you're at the bar. 🍺
"They'd need to physically have it" is less comforting than it sounds.
The good news: patches have already been issued. Keeping your phone updated genuinely matters here — it's not just downloading new emoji, it's closing real gaps.
It's also worth thinking about what's actually on your phone. Business emails, client files, sensitive data — if it's on there, it deserves proper protection.
Your phone feels secure because it's in your pocket.
Right up until it isn't. 😬

🔒 Not sure whether your team's devices are properly protected? That's exactly what we're here for.
👉

Proactive managed IT services for Manchester businesses. 25+ years experience, 150+ clients, and a team that actually picks up the phone. Get in touch today.

03/06/2026

Can’t read what’s on screen? Zoom in instantly with this Windows trick…

31/05/2026

If your business website runs on WordPress, here’s a quick check for you 🔎

There’s a popular plugin called Quiz and Survey Master (QSM).

It’s used by more than 40,000 websites to create quizzes, surveys and forms without needing any coding.

Unfortunately, versions 10.3.1 and older were recently found to have a serious security flaw.

The issue is what’s known as an SQL injection vulnerability.

SQL is the language used to talk to a website’s database, the part that stores things like user accounts, submissions, and other important data.

An SQL injection flaw means someone can sneak malicious commands into that database.

In this case, any logged-in user, even someone with a basic subscriber account, could potentially inject commands into the system.

That could allow actions like:

🚫 Accessing sensitive data
🚫 Extracting information from the database
🚫 Manipulating content

The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2025-67987, and it was fixed in version 10.3.2.

The latest version available is 10.3.5, which is the safest bet.

Based on WordPress.org data, just over half of websites using QSM are on version 10.3. That means a large number are likely still vulnerable.

That’s potentially tens of thousands of sites.

Right now, there’s no confirmed evidence of this flaw being actively exploited. But once a vulnerability is public, attackers often start scanning the internet looking for unpatched sites.

👉 If your site uses this plugin, the solution is straightforward: Update it immediately 👈

More broadly, this is a reminder of something I say often to business owners: WordPress itself isn’t usually the weak link. It’s the plugins.

Every plugin you install adds functionality, but also adds potential risk.

If you’re not actively using a plugin or theme, it shouldn’t just be deactivated. It should be deleted from the server completely.

Websites aren’t a set and forget asset. They’re part of your digital infrastructure.

If they’re vulnerable, they can become an entry point into your wider systems. Especially if admin accounts reuse passwords across services.

❓ When was the last time someone checked which plugins your website is running and whether they’re fully up to date?

30/05/2026

If you’ve ever tried to get an AI tool to understand a whole project instead of just one document, you’ll appreciate this…

Microsoft has introduced something called Copilot Agents in OneDrive.

And this is where AI starts to feel a bit more useful for real-world business work 🤖

Here’s the problem it’s trying to solve.

Normally, if you ask Copilot to summarise or analyse something, you’re doing it one file at a time. One Word document. One spreadsheet. One PowerPoint.

But projects don’t live in one file.

They live across proposals, meeting notes, budgets, timelines, research documents, and email summaries.

With OneDrive Agents, you can now select up to 20 related files and bundle them together into what’s saved as a .agent file.

Instead of asking: “Summarise this file…”

You can ask: “What deadlines are coming up across this whole project?”

“Where are the risks?”

“What did we agree in the last three meetings?”

And it has the context of all the selected files, not just one.

The agent behaves like other AI tools. It can summarise, answer questions, surface key points. But it’s operating with a broader understanding.

Even better, these agents are saved as files inside OneDrive.

That means you can share the .agent file with colleagues. They don’t need to recreate the setup themselves. You’re all working from the same AI “view” of the project.

As projects evolve, you can add or remove documents from the agent or refine the instructions it uses.

It stays aligned with the latest information instead of becoming outdated.

Right now, this feature is available to people with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license accessing OneDrive via the web.

It’s clearly still evolving. Microsoft is asking for feedback, which suggests it’s watching closely to see how businesses use it.

From a business owner’s perspective, the real value is reducing the time spent hunting across folders, trying to piece together context.

If AI can help you understand a whole project in one place instead of ten separate files, that’s meaningful productivity.

🤔 The question is, would you trust an AI agent to interpret multiple important documents at once, or would you still prefer to read everything yourself?

29/05/2026

Still relying on Windows 10 with Extended Security Updates?

Your safety net has an end date and it’s approaching fast.

When it disappears, so does your protection.

If Windows 10 is still part of your business setup, now’s the time to start thinking ahead…

27/05/2026

Too many pop-ups breaking your concentration? Windows 11 Focus hides notifications so you can get more work done…

26/05/2026

If you receive a message saying a large Apple Pay payment has been blocked and you need to call a number urgently…

STOP 🚩

There’s a new scam circulating that targets Apple users, and it’s very convincing.

The email or text usually claims that a high-value purchase has been attempted using your Apple Pay details.

It might mention suspicious activity, a blocked transaction, or even a fake case number. The branding looks polished. The formatting feels official.

Really? The phone number in the message connects you directly to scammers.

The tactic is simple.

Create anxiety about losing a significant amount of money, then offer a quick solution 😱

When people believe their account is under threat, they’re more likely to act without double-checking.

Once on the phone, the criminals typically try to gather your Apple ID login details, verification codes sent to your device, or card information.

With that, they can attempt to take control of your account ⚠️

Here are a few important facts:

Apple does not send fraud alerts asking you to call a number included in an email or text message.

It also doesn’t use aggressive language suggesting your account will be locked if you don’t respond immediately.

That kind of urgency is a common phishing technique 🎣

If you ever receive something like this, check the sender’s email address carefully.

It may look genuine at first glance, but small spelling errors or unusual domain names often give it away.

Generic greetings like “Hello {Name}” instead of your actual name are another warning sign.

It’s also worth remembering that if a payment really were suspicious, your bank would normally step in automatically.

Banks tend to block unusual transactions and contact you directly through official channels.

You would approve a legitimate payment, not scramble to stop it via a random phone number in a text.

If you’re unsure, don’t use any contact details from the message 🚫

Instead, go directly to Apple’s official website yourself and use the support options there.

Or check your purchase history on your device: Settings > Tap your name > Media & Purchases > View Account > Purchase History

That will show you whether any genuine transactions have taken place.

Scammers are becoming more sophisticated. They’re using better branding, cleaner layouts, and fewer obvious mistakes.

That makes it even more important to slow down and verify before responding.

❓ If someone in your business received a message like this, would they know to ignore the phone number and check through official channels instead?

25/05/2026

Some businesses feel like they’re constantly dealing with IT problems.

A system slows down or something stops working. People report it, wait for it to be fixed, and then carry on until the next issue appears.

But others rarely seem to have those disruptions.

What’s the difference?

It comes down to the way they approach their IT…

24/05/2026

Do you use an Android phone for work? 📱

Security researchers have uncovered a new piece of Android malware that can track almost everything you do on it.

And I don’t mean basic tracking.

We’re talking:

👉 PIN entries
👉 Login credentials
👉 Messages
👉 Banking app activity

The clever (and worrying) part is how it spreads 🦠

The app is called TrustBastion.

It pretends to be a security tool. Victims see pop-ups or adverts claiming their phone is infected with malware or scam messages.

The “solution”? Install this app to clean things up.

That fear tactic works more often than you’d think 😱

At first glance, the app looks harmless. But it’s what’s known as a dropper.

That means the app itself doesn’t contain the malicious code straight away. Instead, it downloads it after installation.

Once installed, it shows a fake “update” screen that looks very similar to official Android or Google Play messages.

If you agree, a manipulated APK file (that’s the installation package format Android uses) is downloaded in the background.

But the download doesn’t come from some obviously shady server. It comes from Hugging Face, a well-known developer and AI platform with a strong reputation.

The infrastructure looks legitimate, so many security tools don’t immediately flag it as suspicious. The attackers hide behind a trusted name.

After installation, the malware requests extensive permissions and pretends to be a system component called “Phone Security”.

It then asks for Accessibility permissions.

Accessibility features are designed to help users with disabilities. But when misused, they give apps the ability to read what’s on your screen, log what you type, and overlay content on top of other apps.

That means this malware can:

⚠️ Capture PIN codes and unlock patterns
⚠️ Overlay fake login screens on top of real banking apps
⚠️ Intercept payment details and messages

The stolen data is sent back to the attackers’ servers, and the malware can even receive updates or new instructions.

To make detection harder, the criminals are using something called server-side polymorphism.

That means they generate slightly modified versions of the malware every 15 minutes.

Within a month, researchers found more than 6,000 variants.

Traditional antivirus tools often look for known “signatures”. If the file keeps changing slightly, it’s harder to block.

So, what should you take from this?

First: Only install apps from the Google Play Store.

Second: Be extremely cautious of apps that claim to clean or secure your phone while asking for deep system permissions.

Third: Only enable Accessibility access if you fully understand why the app needs it.

And don’t assume that because something’s hosted on a reputable platform, it’s automatically safe.

If your business lets staff access email, banking or cloud systems from their phones, mobile security is vital.

🤔 When was the last time you reviewed what apps are installed on your company devices?

23/05/2026

If you spend a big chunk of your week inside Microsoft Teams, small changes can make a surprisingly big difference.

There are a few new features on the way that are worth knowing about, especially if meetings and collaboration are part of your daily routine.

Let’s start with the one I think many people will love 💛

You’ll soon be able to hide the entire meeting control toolbar.

You know the bar at the top or bottom of a Teams meeting with mute, camera, share screen, leave, and so on?

That can now be completely hidden, giving you more screen space during meetings.

If you’re presenting, reviewing a spreadsheet, or looking at detailed content, that extra space matters. It feels cleaner and less cluttered.

And this isn’t just a one-time setting. If you choose to hide it, that preference sticks across meetings.

Worried you’ll lose control?

You won’t.

You can bring the toolbar back instantly by hovering your mouse or pressing the Tab key.

Keyboard shortcuts for things like mute still work whether the bar is visible or not.

It’s a small tweak, but it makes Teams feel less intrusive and more focused.

There’s also an upgrade coming to the image viewer 🔎

If someone shares multiple images in a chat, you’ll be able to scroll through all of them in one place.

Even better, the viewer will show the original message header so you can jump straight back to where that image was posted.

If you’ve ever scrolled endlessly trying to find that screenshot from last week, this will help 📸

Another subtle improvement: Your recently used emojis will sync across Windows and mobile.

It sounds minor, but if you use the same handful of emojis regularly (and most of us do), not having to re-find them saves time and friction 🤩

For those who share code snippets in Teams, there are also improvements to code blocks.

Better keyboard navigation, line numbers, and the ability to set the code language more easily.

That makes technical collaboration smoother and reduces confusion when discussing specific lines.

When tools get slightly easier to use every day, productivity improves without anyone noticing why.

❓ If you and your people live in Teams, which would you value more, cleaner meetings, faster navigation, or smarter collaboration features?