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Monday 8am - 5:30pm Tuesday 8am - 5:30pm Wednesday 8am - 5:30pm Thursday 8am - 5:30pm Friday 8am - 5:30pm

ACT Systems

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ACT Systems

IT Support For Ambitious Businesses Businesses today are totally dependent on technology to connect with employees, suppliers and customers.

Having the right IT solution for your business has never been so important. If your IT systems are not right for you, your business cannot function. ACT Systems works with its clients to provide the right infrastructure and support to facilitate growing companies. We work with businesses who are determined to be the best in their market and who recognise that IT support plays an important role in helping them achieve their ambitions. We can work with any type of business but we have particular expertise in a number of key growth sectors. We add case studies continually so that you can view current, recently completed projects. If you contact us now, we will be able to tell you about live projects in your industry. For new enquiries & customer services call us on 01189 870 070 (Local Rate number) and +44 (0) 1189 870 070 (for international calls)

For technical support call us on 01189 870 075 (Local Rate number) and +44 (0) 1189 875 140 (for international calls): Support Opening: Mon to Friday 8am – 5.30pm

15/10/2026

13 October 2026 is the end of support date for Office 2021.

After that date, Word, Excel and Outlook will continue to open, but Microsoft will stop providing security updates, bug fixes and technical support.

Because the software keeps working, it can remain on company computers for months or years after support ends.

Any new security problems found in Office 2021 may be left unfixed.

12/10/2026

Windows Server 2016 End of Support: Is Your Business Ready?

Microsoft support for Windows Server 2016 will end on 12 January 2027. After this date, servers running Windows Server 2016 will no longer receive standard security updates or technical support from Microsoft.

While that may seem a long way off, planning early can help avoid security risks, compliance concerns, and unexpected upgrade costs.

At ACT Systems, we are reviewing customer environments to identify any servers that may be affected. Where Windows Server 2016 is in use, we'll work with you to assess your options and create a practical migration plan that aligns with your business requirements.

Possible next steps may include:
✅ Upgrading to a supported version of Windows Server
✅ Migrating workloads to Microsoft Azure or other cloud platforms
✅ Replacing ageing infrastructure
✅ Reviewing alternative solutions to improve security and performance

No immediate action is required, but early preparation can make the transition smoother and more cost-effective.

09/10/2026

Some free VPNs make money by letting other people send traffic through your internet connection.

Google recently took down a large network that used devices running apps advertised as free VPNs.

While the VPN worked, the app also allowed other customers' internet traffic to pass through the device.

On a work laptop, that traffic would appear to come from your company's public IP address. Your IP could get blocked because of activity nobody in the business carried out.

Google also found that some of this software could expose other devices on the same network.

Check which VPNs and browser extensions are installed on company devices. Staff should use the VPN provided by the business, not one they found online because it was free.

Want to know whether unapproved VPNs or proxy software are installed on your company devices? Reach out and we can check for you.

06/10/2026

Don't trust hotel Wi-Fi. It can be compromised even when you've joined the correct network.

Microsoft has found attackers taking control of the systems used for Wi-Fi login pages at hotels and conference venues.

Once the login system has been compromised, guests can be redirected to a fake Microsoft 365 sign-in page or shown a fake browser update that installs malware.

The timing makes the request believable. You've just connected, the hotel page opens and it says an update is needed before you can continue.

Checking the network name with reception won't help because the hotel's real Wi-Fi is involved.

Use your phone's hotspot for work whenever possible. If you have to use hotel Wi-Fi, never enter your work password into the hotel registration page.

And if the page asks you to download an update, certificate or security tool, disconnect. Joining Wi-Fi shouldn't require you to install anything.

05/10/2026

🚨 Hackers don't break in. They log in.

The majority of cyberattacks don't start with advanced hacking.

They start with:
❌ A weak password
❌ A phishing email
❌ One click by one employee

This Cyber Security Awareness Month, make security everyone's responsibility.

✅ Use MFA
✅ Verify before you click
✅ Keep software updated
✅ Train your team regularly

Because prevention costs far less than recovery.

🛡️ Need cybersecurity advice or support? Contact ACT Systems Ltd and let us help keep your business secure.

24/09/2026

🔍 AI is changing the fraud landscape, and not just for high-profile targets.

A recent article from ESET explores how AI-powered OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) is making it easier than ever for cybercriminals to gather and analyse publicly available information.

With AI automating the collection and analysis of data from social media, professional profiles, websites, and other public sources, anyone with a digital footprint can become a target for increasingly sophisticated scams.

The key takeaway is clear: cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting systems and devices. It is also about understanding what information is shared online and how it can be used to build detailed profiles for social engineering and fraud.

As AI capabilities continue to evolve, awareness and digital vigilance are becoming more important than ever.

📖 Read the full article from ESET: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/privacy/ai-powered-osint-why-everyone-viable-target-fraud/

21/09/2026

Soon, some of the calls coming into your business won't be from a real person.

Google has started giving people AI assistants that ring businesses for them. The assistant will call a shop to check if something's in stock, book an appointment, or ask about a price.

For now this is mostly a consumer thing, and it's early. But if a lot of your business comes in over the phone, it's worth knowing about.

Tell your team some callers will be AI, not people. And whatever they say on a call can be recorded, so it pays to be accurate about prices, opening hours and what you've got available.

There's a good side to this too. You can use the same kind of assistant for the dull calls you'd rather not make, like chasing a supplier or waiting on hold.

18/09/2026

⚠️ Think before you scan.

QR codes are everywhere, from restaurant menus to business communications. But according to a recent article from ESET, they are also increasingly being used by cybercriminals to bypass traditional security checks and deliver phishing attacks.

A quick scan can lead to a fake login page or malicious website designed to steal sensitive information.

Awareness remains one of the most effective defences. Taking a moment to verify where a QR code leads could prevent a costly security incident.

📖 Read the full article from ESET: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/business-security/qr-code-phishing-slip-past-corporate-security-measures/

15/09/2026

By default, a Microsoft account will accept a login attempt from anywhere in the world.

Most attacks on Microsoft accounts come from overseas, from automated tools trying stolen passwords by the thousand. If your business only works in one or two countries, there's no reason to allow a login from anywhere else.

There's a setting in Microsoft 365 called Conditional Access that lets you block any login from outside the countries you operate in. Someone trying your password from the other side of the world is turned away, even if the password is right.

It won't stop everything, and a determined attacker can route through your country to get past it. But it blocks the flood of automated attempts from places you'll never deal with, and that's most of what you're up against.

You'll need the right Microsoft plan, and it's set up in the admin area, so ask your IT provider to turn it on and set the countries you work in.

10/09/2026

When you log into a new tool with your Google account instead of making a fresh password, you're tying that tool to your Google login. Do it enough times and one account controls all of them.

It's quick, so most people click it without thinking.

The trouble starts if someone gets into that Google account. They get your email, and every app you logged into with it, in one go.

Google itself is a risk here too. If it ever suspends or locks your account, you can lose all those apps at once, and getting a Google account back is famously hard.

So for anything your business relies on, give it its own login and password, with two-factor turned on.

And put strong security on the Google account itself, since so much now runs through it.

Address

Unit 4 Diddenham Court, Lambwood Hill, Grazeley
Reading
RG71JQ

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8am - 5:30pm
Friday	8am - 5:30pm

Website

https://www.actsystems.co.uk/

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