Affinity I.T. Services Ltd

Affinity I.T. Services Ltd Affinity IT Services deliver unrivalled quality of service and unparalleled integrity, enabling our clients’ to operate to their full potential.

One of the biggest questions businesses are asking about AI isn't "Can we use it?", it's "When should we use it?"That's ...
15/10/2026

One of the biggest questions businesses are asking about AI isn't "Can we use it?", it's "When should we use it?"

That's why Microsoft's latest Teams update is interesting.

Meeting organisers are being given more control over AI features such as meeting summaries, AI-generated notes and Copilot assistance.

At first, switching AI off might sound strange.

If AI is supposed to save us time, why wouldn't we use it? 🤷

Because not every meeting is the same.

A project catch-up where you need clear actions and notes? AI could be incredibly useful.

A confidential conversation about employees, finances or a potential acquisition? You might decide you'd rather keep AI out of the meeting altogether.

This reflects a more mature approach to AI.

When these tools first arrived, there was plenty of enthusiasm for putting AI into almost everything. Now businesses are starting to ask a more useful question:

"Does AI actually improve this particular task?" Sometimes the answer will be yes, sometimes it won't, and that's a good thing.

Technology should adapt to the way your business works, rather than forcing your business to adapt to the technology.

🏨 Hotel Wi-Fi isn't always as safe as it looks.You check the network name with reception, connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi, ...
14/10/2026

🏨 Hotel Wi-Fi isn't always as safe as it looks.

You check the network name with reception, connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi, and a login page appears.

Everything looks legitimate.

But attackers have been found compromising the systems that provide Wi-Fi login pages at hotels and conference venues. This can allow them to redirect guests to fake Microsoft 365 sign-in pages or convincing fake browser updates that install malware.

The worrying part? The timing makes it believable. You've just connected, so a request to sign in or install an update might not seem unusual.

A few simple rules can help:

🔐 Use your phone's hotspot for work whenever possible.

🚫 Never enter your work password into a hotel Wi-Fi registration page.

⚠️ If you're asked to download an update, certificate or security tool to access Wi-Fi, disconnect. Joining a Wi-Fi network shouldn't require you to install anything.

If your team regularly travels with work laptops, it's worth checking that those devices are properly protected before the next business trip.

Need help securing your travelling staff and devices? Get in touch with Affinity IT Services.

We’re all set for the unLTD Business Expo tomorrow! 🙌If you’re heading to Magna, keep an eye out for Dave and Elliott fr...
13/10/2026

We’re all set for the unLTD Business Expo tomorrow! 🙌

If you’re heading to Magna, keep an eye out for Dave and Elliott from the Affinity team and come over for a chat.

Got a question about your IT, phones or electrical services? Ask away. Or just come and say hello, we’re friendly! 👋

📍 Magna, Rotherham
📅 Wednesday 14th October
⏰ 9:30am to 3pm

See you there!

Do any of your employees use their personal phone to access emails?Sound standard and harmless?Employees often use perso...
12/10/2026

Do any of your employees use their personal phone to access emails?
Sound standard and harmless?

Employees often use personal devices for work before the business has made a decision about it.

They add work email to a phone, download a file to a home laptop, or sign into a company app from a computer shared with family.

But once business data is stored on a personal device, you have less control. Personal devices can be allowed, but you should decide which devices, applications, and types of work are permitted.

Read what you need to consider before staff use personal devices for work here: https://affinityit.co.uk/blog/should-employees-use-personal-devices-for-work

💻 What happens when a Windows PC develops a serious problem?For the person using it every day, the answer can mean hours...
09/10/2026

💻 What happens when a Windows PC develops a serious problem?

For the person using it every day, the answer can mean hours of disruption while IT rebuilds the machine.

Microsoft is working on a new Windows feature called Cloud Rebuild that could make this process much simpler.

Instead of relying on installation files stored elsewhere, the PC can download a fresh copy of Windows directly from Microsoft and reinstall the software needed to work with the computer's hardware.

For IT support teams, that could mean fewer things to find, prepare and configure before getting the machine back up and running.

And when a computer is critical to someone's role, reducing downtime matters.

But there's an important point to remember:

🚫 Cloud Rebuild is not a backup.

It can help get Windows running again, but it doesn't magically restore your business files, documents or other important data.

That's why the basics still matter:

☁️ Reliable backups
🔄 A clear recovery process
👨‍💻 An IT support partner who can get people working again quickly

Technology will continue to make recovery easier, but businesses still need a plan for when something goes wrong.

🤔 If one of your most important computers failed today, how quickly could you get that person back to work?

🚨 A “free” VPN could come with a hidden cost.Google recently disrupted a large network linked to apps advertised as free...
08/10/2026

🚨 A “free” VPN could come with a hidden cost.

Google recently disrupted a large network linked to apps advertised as free VPNs. While these apps provided VPN functionality, some also allowed other users to route internet traffic through the device they were installed on.

On a company laptop, that traffic could appear to come from your business’s public IP address. That means your IP could potentially be blocked or associated with activity nobody in your business carried out.

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

For businesses, the takeaway is simple:

✅ Check which VPNs and browser extensions are installed on company devices.
✅ Make sure staff use the VPN provided by your business.
✅ Avoid downloading free VPN or proxy software without approval.

Need help with VPNs? Affinity IT Services can help.

🚨 None of these look like a cyber attack.At least not at first.We've highlighted three genuine security events we've inv...
08/10/2026

🚨 None of these look like a cyber attack.

At least not at first.

We've highlighted three genuine security events we've investigated in the carousel.

None automatically means a business has been compromised.

But none should be ignored either.

Because cyber incidents don't always begin with ransomware, systems going offline or a dramatic warning message.

Sometimes, they begin with something small that just doesn't look quite right.

And that's the challenge.

Is it a harmless anomaly?

Or are you seeing the first signs of a security incident?

That's where proactive monitoring and investigation matter.

The sooner suspicious activity is understood, the sooner action can be taken if there is a genuine threat.

Because when it comes to cyber security, sometimes the smallest signals deserve the quickest attention.

👉 Take a look through the three examples. Which would concern you most?

We’re heading to the unLTD Business Expo 2026! 🎉Next Wednesday, you’ll find the Affinity team at Magna in Rotherham, rea...
07/10/2026

We’re heading to the unLTD Business Expo 2026! 🎉

Next Wednesday, you’ll find the Affinity team at Magna in Rotherham, ready to chat IT, telecoms, electrical services and, of course, business in general.

If you’re going, make sure you come and say hello! 👋

📅 Wednesday 14th October
⏰ 9:30am to 3pm
📍 Magna, Rotherham

See you there!

One of the biggest cyber security mistakes businesses can make is assuming the advice that worked five or ten years ago ...
07/10/2026

One of the biggest cyber security mistakes businesses can make is assuming the advice that worked five or ten years ago is still enough today.

It isn't.

Cyber threats have changed - so our security habits need to change with them.

🔒 Take passwords...

Using the same password across several accounts might be convenient, but if one service is breached and that password is exposed, criminals can try it elsewhere, including business email and other important accounts.

📶 Then there's public Wi-Fi.

"I'm only checking my emails" doesn't make an unsecured network safe. Fake hotspots can be created to look like legitimate networks, making it difficult to know exactly what you're connecting to.

🪝 And phishing scams have changed too.

The days of obvious spelling mistakes and suspicious-looking emails aren't the whole story anymore. Criminals can use AI to create convincing, professional-looking messages that are harder to spot.

That's why relying on people to simply "spot the scam" isn't enough.

Good cyber security should have layers of protection working in the background:

🔒 Strong, unique passwords
🔒 Multi-Factor Authentication, which adds an extra check when you log in
🔒 Automatic software updates
🔒 Reliable security software
🔒 Regular security awareness training

The goal isn't to make people suspicious of every email they receive, it's to reduce the chances of one mistake becoming a serious problem.

Technology has changed dramatically. Our approach to protecting businesses needs to keep pace.

🤔 Which security habit do you think businesses still underestimate most: passwords, software updates or recognising scams?

Do you know which of your employees has Administrator Access on your systems? Administrator access lets employees instal...
05/10/2026

Do you know which of your employees has Administrator Access on your systems?
Administrator access lets employees install software and change security settings on their computers. If an account is compromised, that same access can give malicious software more control.

Most employees don’t need administrator access for everyday work.
Find out how to restrict it without preventing employees from doing their jobs: https://affinityit.co.uk/blog/why-your-employees-shouldnt-have-administrator-access-to-their-computers

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Sheffield
S47UQ

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Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

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+441143627000

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