News

What is the PrintNightmare vulnerability

A bug found in all Windows operating systems allows full ‘top level’ access to compromised computers.

The biggest, currently known (as of Sunday the 4th of July 2021 – 11am GMT) attack initiated in the USA when the IT management software company Kaseya saw certain version of it’s software become infected with ransomware. The ransomware was delivered to systems using the PrintNightmare vulnerability that Microsoft has not yet patched.

Should you care

While the attack seemed to be initially limited, reports this weekend show that the impact has escalated. This included a BBC report (find the report here) detailing how around half of Sweden’s Coop shops have had to close after becoming impacted by software used by one of their suppliers.

It should be said that your system should have already been compromised in order for the hackers and criminals to take advantage of this bug in the Windows operating system. But don’t be complaisant, ransomware is very powerful and this threat is currently not patched!

What to do

Always keep a secure backup of your data (read here for information on that)

Disable the print spooler service on your PC and server until a patch is available

Follow our video on how to do that here

Keep your Windows computers up to date with the latest patches

Contact us if you are a business and have been impacted by this

If you would like further information or are a business looking for IT assistance, please call us on 01943 666 711 or email us on support@cactus-it.co.uk

Cactus IT supporting businesses

Cactus IT understands that it’s tough out there at the moment running your business and operating because of the current COVID-19 pandemic. We have been very busy recently assisting our existing customers to adjust to the new measures while observing strict Social distancing rules and following the government’s advice on how to operate in these conditions. In particular, setting up their employees to work from home in a secure and effective way.

To help businesses and as part of our COVID-19 business support package, we have released the following offers subject to qualification.

Free Office 365 licenses for 3 months

This offer is available to new Office 365 customers or customers expanding their current license count. The license on offer is the Office 365 E1 package that includes the following business critical services to help you work from anywhere and stay in contact with your customers and employees. In our opinion, it’s the best Cloud email service available and this license includes the following feature rich Apps:

• Office 365 50GB full featured mailbox
• Web-based Office apps and business services
• Microsoft Teams for video calling and collaboration
• One Drive and SharePoint for file storage services
• 99.9% Guaranteed uptime
• Working from Home and Office

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please complete the contact form below or email us on info@cactus-it.co.uk

Free Data backup and Disaster Recovery for 3 months

With an increase in malicious cyber activity in the recent months, protecting your business critical data has never been more important. To help businesses during this tough trading environment, we are offering 3 months of free Data backup and Disaster recovery Cloud services when you sign up for a 12 month contract.

Our solution is 1st class and fully automated with data stored in the UK, meeting GDPR and data security requirements. If you are looking to secure your data and protect your on premises and cloud based Server infrastructure, we would like to help and are including free installation and configuration to ease our transition.

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please complete the contact form below or email us on info@cactus-it.co.uk

Discounted Office 365 backup and migration services

Microsoft Office 365 is a highly reliable and scalable Cloud service including business email and file storage solutions. With a guaranteed uptime of 99.9%, these robust services come highly recommended by us as and are fully supported to be used during these difficult and changing time.

We are experts in moving clients data and mailboxes into Office 365 and are offering free migration licenses when opting for a 12 month Office 365 data backup service. Offering Migration services from platforms like Exchange, POP3/IMAP and G-Suite to Office 365. Cactus IT can plan, deliver and support your move to the most popular Business email platform.

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please complete the contact form below or email us on info@cactus-it.co.uk

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Cactus IT has recently completed a network upgrade for a client based in Dublin with a branch office in Otley. We were asked to assist in specifying the equipment and sourcing it for our client.

The work was scheduled to be completed outside of normal business hours to limit the impact on the business. The main objective was to increase capacity and reliability on the network while providing a secure and more salable home for the sensitive networking hardware. We worked on site with the IT manager of the business to complete the works on time so the staff could return the following business day as usual.

With the addition of a battery backed power supply, the customer could be sure that normal operations would continue in the event of power outages and spikes that were not uncommon and could damage the equipment without this protection.

If you are looking to increase your network capacity or to better secure your existing investment, please contact us on 01943 666 711 or by email on bevan@cactus-it.co.uk

We are delighted to announce that the hard work and excellent customer service of our apprentice, Jimmy Arnott has recently been recognised by the Ilkley Business Awards (IBA).

At a Gala Dinner held at the Kings Hall in Ilkley to celebrate the achievements of businesses in LS29, Jimmy was amongst the winners after being initially shortlisted this month. Jimmy qualified to enter as he is currently studying Network Engineer Level 4 at Leeds City College whilst working full time at Cactus IT.

In order to win the ‘Apprentice / Trainee of the Year award’, the IBA’s independent judging panel were looking for ‘an individual who shows a higher level of understanding of their role and the business they work in than would usually be expected, demonstrating a commitment to the business and proving added value to their team or business‘.

We feel that Jimmy understands that ‘customer service comes first’ and that prompt customer service is important. He always responds quickly to email and phone support requests, even reviewing his own response times in our ticketing system. Our customers feedback on Jimmy is very positive!

Jimmy has impressed us with his keenness to tackle his tasks, even when it is something out of his comfort zone. That’s important in a small business and he just gets on with his work, ‘no problem’ for Jimmy.

Congratulation Jimmy on a job well done and an award well deserved!

Noisy email

Over 70% of my email in the last week was ‘noise’ at best and malicious at worst, and there seems to be no let up in sight.

It is widely accepted that email has become the delivery method of choice for cyber criminals. There seems to be a threat for every occasion from Malware and Ransomware to SPAM and Spoofing, not to mention newly developed and previously unknown malicious emails referred to as ‘Zero-Day’ attacks.

Businesses are targeted

The threat is very real with some sectors targeted more heavily that others. A recent report from the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) on the threat to the UK Legal sector shows a staggering £11 million of clients money stolen in 2016/17 by cyber security breaches. The NCSC go on to identify the significant threats that all lead back to email security as their primary challenge.

If you own a Law firm or Professional Services company in the UK, please contact us today on 01943 666 711 to see how we could help secure your business.

Why do they do it?

The motivations for these attacks can be very varied. From financial gain, nation states seeking strategic or political advantage or even ideological gains for ‘hacktivists’. All of this activity is criminal, with sometimes minimal effort a quickly compiled email could devastate your business costing both financial and reputation damage.

How can you reduce the risk of attack by email?

With such a constant and overwhelming attack by email, Cactus IT are now able to offer email security for your business with the following key advantages:

• Phishing prevention: blocking fake login pages
• Click protection: so that you can ‘click with confidence’
• Spoofing: works on mobiles and desktops to identify Spoofing and CEO fraud
• Attachments: scanning and blocking all manner of attachments, even password protected documents

Our service includes a daily email report with easy to use ‘Release/Allow/Block’ services, all for an affordable price.

Contact us on 01943 666 711 today for a free 14 day trial of this service and to enquire about our additional advanced threat protection services including ‘Sandbox attachment scanning’ and ‘Email continuity’.

Windows 7, our favourite operating system since Windows XP is due for retirement in less than a year. The most successful operating system ever launched has already reached Microsoft’s ‘end of mainstream support’. With a staggering 630 million licenses sold by 2012 (ref: Wikipedia), on the 14th of January 2020 it will be classified as ‘end of extended support’ with no future updates or Microsoft support available.

But what does that mean to your business?

It’s all about security and keeping your data safe.

• After January the 14th 2020, Microsoft will STOP releasing those important monthly security updates and bug fixes
• The risk of viruses aimed at Windows 7 vulnerabilities will increase substantially
• Running Windows 7 could put your business in breach of the GDPR regulations and go against the current Government advice

What are your options?

• Just keep using Windows 7

This is an option that some businesses will choose to take (based on information after Windows XP was retired). But the longer you run Windows 7 after the 14th of January 2020, the higher the risk of data loss or disruption to your business (this is a GDPR and security nightmare!).

• Plan an upgrade to Windows 10

This would be our recommendation. Windows 10 is the current version of the desktop operating system and has proved to be very popular with users. Yes, the interface has moved on since Windows 7, but it’s not too dissimilar, it still have the cherished ‘Windows Start Button’ and supports an array of hardware and software with much improved plug and play functionality (i.e. It just works!).

What to do next?

Start the process of understanding your options and get in touch with us here or give us a call on 01943 666 711.