Blue Ridge Technology

50% of Phishing Attempts Impersonate Microsoft The old advice is still true: don’t trust anything you see on the internet. Within reason, of course: we work hard to make sure this blog is fact-based and trustworthy. But the big-picture advice is still good advice: how can you know for sure our team wrote this and that the whole post isn’t just the figment of a genAI’s imagination? There are signs, like the way this introduction is going. (Not your standard opening, that’s for sure!) So what’s our point? While you can learn a lot online, and you rely on it for a massive slice of your business, you still can’t take everything you see at face value. A recent report looked at a huge number of phishing attempts — those fraudulent emails that pretend to be from someone else and try to get you to give up sensitive information — and found that one company was the undisputed “leader”: more than ⅓ of phishing emails impersonating a brand chose Microsoft. If your business does business with Micr...

You’re ready for the upgrade… what’s holding you back? Is your business still running on Windows 10? If so, it’s time to start making plans to switch. Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 in October 2025. That means the end of security updates, the end of customer service, and the end of fixes to broken functionality. In other words: Windows 10 will gradually get less stable, more vulnerable, and harder to troubleshoot. Why Some Businesses Delayed Making the Switch When Microsoft released Windows 11, they included some relatively stringent hardware requirements. These were intended to increase overall security of Windows 11, which they did. But the reality was that at the time some older hardware wasn’t capable of upgrading. Businesses that still relied on that kind of hardware didn’t have a choice: they simply couldn’t upgrade. Other businesses were worried about legacy applications, including some applications where the software maker no longer exists. There was no hope of upda...

Microsoft takes the pain out of updates If you’ve been a Windows user for a few upgrade cycles, you may know that Microsoft has made quite a few changes to the way it issues updates to its operating system. Many of us remember the bad old days when the dreaded Windows Update meant no more work was happening for hours — and that’s assuming the update was installed successfully! When one failed, well— it wasn’t good. Around a decade ago, Microsoft started working on fixing the problems that contributed to “Windows Update dread,” making updates less bulky and time-consuming. Now the company is changing the way it updates Windows once more, and this time it’s good news. Still, any change to the way your business’s computers operate is a big deal. Here’s what you need to know. The (Old) Problem with Windows Updates Back in the day, those massive Windows Updates were problematic in all sorts of ways. Because they were so big, they took forever to download (and even longer to actually install...

Chrome extensions are great for boosting productivity and saving time. But if they’re not the real deal, you could be at risk from malware. Watch our latest tech update to stay protected. There are plenty of good reasons to use Chrome, from quality of life to productivity and efficiency. But Chrome comes with several drawbacks users should be aware of. Possible Chrome Drawbacks We see two major potential drawbacks to using Chrome: data use and extension security. Data Use Creates Business Concerns One big drawback to using Chrome is the way Google is likely using you — that is, your data. Remember the old adage, “if you’re not the customer, you’re the product”? That’s definitely the case with Chrome. Google wants you to use its free, really good browser because of what it does for them , not just out of the goodness of their hearts. More than other browser makers, Google appears to collect tons of data on its users: what you do, where you visit, what you like to buy, and more. Even if...

Are your employees reporting security issues fast enough… or even at all? In the ongoing fight for digital security and safety, your team members are your first line of defense. But what does that mean for them exactly? Hopefully they know not to open that sketchy email attachment or click that suspicious link — but what should they do when they stumble across it? Their important role as your company’s frontline defenders shouldn’t stop when they hit the “delete” button on the email in question. You need more from them — and they might not know it yet. Here’s what your team members need to know about what to do once they spot a potential threat. Overreliance on Security Tools Can Be Dangerous You might be thinking that your business is protected because you have some security tools in place already. First of all, good for you: you’ve taken the time and effort to get some level of security set up, and that’s a massively important first step. Having tools in place is way, way better tha...

1 in 4 of us struggles with password overload. Here’s the answer We all know the importance of keeping our businesses safe by making sure our employees understand how to recognize and avoid cyber threats. And most businesses with a digital presence at this point have responded to this reality by instituting some kind of cyber security awareness training. But there are still lots of questions here: what exactly should go into training like this? Why do businesses keep becoming victims in spite of their training policies? And how often should businesses go about it? Why Once a Year Isn’t Enough For many organizations that do cyber security training, the event has become routine, something that happens once a year. Unfortunately, it’s also something that rarely gets talked about outside that once-a-year event. That’s in part why once a year isn’t enough: something that most people find rather uninteresting and that only comes up once every 12 months just isn’t going to take hold. It isn’t...

New reports suggest that the cyber attacks threatening businesses like yours are getting smarter, stronger, and faster. Advances in cheap computing power, AI, and even hacking techniques themselves mean today’s cyber criminals are accomplishing more with less and doing so using some tactics that are downright frightening. Much of the research stems from the CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report , a wide-ranging report with tons of observations and takeaways. Here’s what you need to know about the latest research — and how to keep your business as safe as possible. Breakout Times Are Getting Faster The first big takeaway was how much shorter breakout times became year over year. Breakout time is how long it takes a cyber attacker to move from the initial point of entry to some other system or area. In other words, it’s how long it takes between when the thief picks the lock (“I got in!”) and when the thief moves into the next room and starts stealing stuff (“I found something worth stea...

It’s time to say goodbye to traditional passwords We talk a lot about account security and passwords: how to avoid getting caught in a phishing scheme, what good password hygiene looks like, why you should use a password manager, and so on. But this week we’re dropping some new password advice that might surprise you: maybe it’s time to stop using passwords at all! Or at least, maybe that time will be here sooner than later. Here’s what you need to know about big changes coming in the cybersecurity space. Down with the Password? Google, Microsoft, Apple, and several other tech behemoths have joined forces to kill the password, essentially. And that’s a good thing. Passwords are notoriously, well, bad. They’re hard to remember, which leads to lots of password reuse and people using the simplest possible passwords…which makes those passwords really easy to steal, crack, or hack. Phishing schemes and other credential compromise attacks cost businesses trillions each year. And while those ...

The hidden dangers of free VPNs: Are you at risk? Do you use a VPN to keep your data secure when browsing the web? Or does your business use one as part of its access management plan? Even if you’re not sure, the answer to that second question might be “yes”: Many businesses pivoted to VPNs during COVID as a quick and relatively safe way for people to access server resources from home. If you’re using a VPN, whether for personal or professional reasons, the thinking goes that you’re a whole lot safer and more secure because of it. But it turns out not all VPNs are created equal, and some of them might be doing the opposite of keeping you safe. Here’s what you need to know about using VPNs, including what to watch out for if you do. What Is a VPN? The acronym VPN stands for “virtual private network.” It’s a way of connecting your computer to an online resource by way of another connection point. Virtual private networks act as a middleman for internet or network traffic: instead of a c...

Windows 11 optional update: Why it’s better to wait Microsoft recently announced an optional update to Windows 11. It isn’t the first one, and it won’t be the last. If you’re an Apple user (whether at home or at work), you might know about Apple’s relatively famous beta program, where users can try out the next version of iOS, iPadOS, or MacOS before it’s released. These optional updates and betas promise new, exciting features. But is it a good idea to install them on your work devices? Quick answer: almost always no. Here’s what you need to know about these prerelease updates — and how you can make sure your work machines stay up to date safely. How Windows Updates Work in Windows 11 Before we explain why the optional update usually isn’t a good idea, we need to explain how Windows Updates work. With older versions of Windows, the Windows Update utility had quite a reputation. It’d take over your computer, sometimes for hours at a time, to install an update to the operating system. U...

Take action to avoid a clever new phishing scam Another week, and yet another scam hitting the corporate interwebs, one that finds a brand-new way to exploit your employees and damage your company. We want to help you stay safe and keep your business free from the distraction or even devastation of a cyberattack. So here’s what you need to know about this new phishing scam, and how to keep yourself and your team members safe. The New Threat: Malware Wrapped in a Phishing Attack The new threat uses similar tactics to those we’ve warned you about before. But the specifics are different enough — and convincing enough — that this one warrants special explanation. Like any other phishing attack, this one sends a phishing email pretending to be from somewhere reputable. This time, it impersonates a very reputable tech brand, one that offices everywhere use and that employees will likely recognize. This phishing attack doesn’t try to steal your credentials, though: instead it delivers a payl...

Are you using Teams to share sensitive data? We love Microsoft Teams as a collaboration, chat, and video calling hub. The way it integrates deeply with everything else in Microsoft 365 is nearly miraculous when it works as it should, and the tool is one of the biggest influences on making our new way of working work well. But did you know that Microsoft Teams has a dark side? Don’t get us wrong: the app is well built and generally secure. But there are risks you should be aware of, mostly centering on how your employees use the app. Here’s what you need to know. What Are People Sharing? Understanding the risks of Teams starts with understanding what people are sharing on the app. Sensitive, Confidential, and Critical Information Recent research found that around half of employees admit to sharing sensitive company information on Teams. To be honest, we think that number is a little low. After all, Teams is specifically designed for sharing information within a company, so there’s no su...

How to protect your webcam from spies A few years ago, news rumbled through the tech press that Mark Zuckerberg, leader of Facebook (now Meta), was doing something unusual with his MacBook. It showed up first on Twitter , and was quickly picked up by numerous outlets, eventually reaching general news markets like The New York Times and The Guardian . So, what’s the weird thing Zuck was doing? Taping over the webcam on his MacBook Pro (and the microphone, too). The reason is straightforward enough: someone as powerful as Zuckerberg doesn’t want to be caught on camera or on audio discussing trade secrets, future products, or even his personal life. And he knew then that there was at least a possibility that his webcam and microphone could be weaponized against him without his knowledge. Paranoia or Something More? So what was going on here? Did Zuckerberg know something the rest of us didn’t? Maybe. But if so, he’s never come out with it. In all likelihood, Zuckerberg didn’t know of any...

Updates Can Be a Pain, but not as Painful as a Breach! Over the years, Microsoft has developed quite a reputation surrounding its Windows updates. It seems like every week there’s something new popping up and saying “Update me now, please!” When it’s not Windows itself or other core Microsoft 365 apps, it’s some other software tool you rely on to get work done. If your business isn’t using endpoint management (more on that later), then it’s up to every single PC user in your organization to make sure their machine is up to date. And, unfortunately, Microsoft makes it easy enough for them to cheat, thanks to that “later” button that’s always popping up. (Admit it; you’ve probably used it, too. So have we, and we do this for a living!) Thankfully in recent years and releases, Microsoft has slowed the pace of its security updates and made many of them happen behind the scenes, without any user action needed. But you still could be in danger from un-updated devices — even if everyone on yo...

Phishing Emails: How Well Do You Trust Your Team? And Is Trust Enough? As we enter a new year, many of the digital threats targeting small businesses aren’t changing drastically. They’re just getting more sophisticated. Phishing was a top threat to your business’s cybersecurity last year, and it’s going to be this year, too. With attacks getting more and more believable and harder to detect, just how much should you trust your team to get this right? We believe business leaders should leave their digital security up to chance. Now is the time to go on the offensive. Phishing: a Refresher In case the term phishing isn’t quite ringing a bell, here’s a quick refresher. Phishing describes email-based attacks where people or groups send an email that looks like it’s coming from somewhere official (like Microsoft, a big bank, or a prominent supplier in your industry). They send you an urgent message and ask you to click a link (and usually log in). The link is malicious, though: clicking co...

You’ve probably seen the stats by now: data breaches can be massively expensive. The average cost of a breach in 2021 was $4.24 million globally, and for US companies that figure shoots up to $8.64 million (in 2020). No matter the size of your business, the financial costs of a data breach are concerning enough to get serious on your digital security. But the financial costs aren’t the sum total of what you’ll deal with in a breach. In fact, they’re only a small piece of the puzzle. Data breaches cause far more damage than just the monetary sort. Consider these hidden (and not so hidden) costs that you’ll face if your company goes through a data breach this year. 1. You Will Lose Clients First, if you encounter a data breach, you will with near certainty lose some of your clients. Your clients are expecting you to keep their information secure, and some of them will take a breach as serious enough to move on to a competitor. As a result, you’ll have to deal with the monetary costs of...

If your business is like most, you have plenty to worry about in terms of keeping costs low, and you’re constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency and shed costs. This just makes good business sense. Still, savvy business owners know that there are areas where cutting costs can be strategic and other areas where doing so can damage the business, perhaps irreparably. In other words, saving money by making workflows more efficient is a great idea, but saving money by skimping on quality or service could be disastrous. Where does your managed IT services partner fall into this matrix? Should you look for the absolute cheapest deal around, or is choosing bargain managed IT support something that could cause deep problems in the long run? Here at Blue Ridge Technology , we believe the right answer is to take a holistic approach to managed IT support. Often, the best deals aren’t really the best: they don’t lead to the kinds of outcomes you want for your organization. Underpayment for...

Ransomware Resilience No matter the size of your business, you could be the target of a ransomware attack. These attacks are more complex to pull off than simple credential theft, and early attacks tended to target high-profile organizations and government agencies. But now, ransomware attacks are becoming more and more common. You might not think of your business as a likely target. But the danger is real regardless. Here’s what you need to know about ransomware attacks — and how to protect yourself and your business. What Is Ransomware? Ransomware is a type of malicious code-based lockout attack. In a ransomware attack, hackers break into a target system and lock out all users (typically encrypting data on that system as well). The perpetrators demand a payment (or ransom) to return or unlock the affected systems and files, often in cryptocurrency or other means that are difficult to trace. What Are Some Recent Ransomware Attacks? Ransomware attacks have been on the rise, including s...