Your Monthly Biz Tech Roundup from Seeto
Welcome to the October edition of Take Ctrl! We’re a year into Take Ctrl and are ready to make the most of Cyber Security Awareness Month. There’s nothing ghoulish, grim or ghostly in this issue, it’s treats treats treats galore with straightforward advice on addressing your business’ cyber security risk.
Read on for this month’s news and views that matter from the world of business technology, including big operating system updates, helpful new Google Workspace features and a slew of security news.
Our featured solution this month is Riot; learning is fun with our favourite cybersecurity companion, Albert.
In the Seeto Take we put the focus on the actions you can take right now to increase your business’ cyber security. Read on, then jump in.
Need To Know Now
Microsoft Windows
Edge out?
Clicking links in the Windows 11 start menu and other default applications may soon open in your preferred browser. Long frustrating, Microsoft is believed to be making the change in response to the forthcoming EU Digital Markets Act. The downside is that this change is expected to only be activated in EEA countries. With luck, Microsoft will see sense and it will roll out worldwide.
More more more! features
Microsoft released a veritable bushel of features in its most recent Windows 11 update, including the AI-powered Windows Copilot, a redesign of File Explorer, a new Ink Anywhere feature for pen users and big improvements to the Paint app. Finally, Snipping Tool users will be able to easily extract text from images, as well as automatically redact and hide emails and phone numbers in screenshots.
macOS
Sonoma arrives with new features
Drawing from iPadOS, macOS Sonoma has arrived, bringing widgets out of the notification centre onto the desktop. Safari now offers profiles – allowing you to compartmentalise all your online personalities – and Progressive Web App support, giving users the ability to convert websites into apps in your Dock. Video improvements include native lighting improvements and blurring, as well as overlay and picture-in-picture modes. As this is baked into the operating system, you can take advantage within most video conferencing apps, including Google Meet, Zoom and Teams.
Google Workspace
Meet adds accessibility tools
Google Meet is adding the ability to pair video tiles to improve accessibility for users with language interpreters. You can also use this feature to pair speaker duos or presenters with co-presenters for a more dynamic presenting experience. This joins existing screen reader support and live caption accessibility features.
Death to Jamboard
Bad news for businesses that bought Google Jamboards, as they’re heading to the Google graveyard. Not only will the hardware become e-waste but the cloud application is also having its plug pulled. Migration paths will become available prior to the shutdown to a number of competitor whiteboard solutions, suggesting Google is exiting the market and won’t be replacing Jamboard functionality elsewhere in Google Workspace.
Under lock and key
You’ll soon be able to lock files from the Drive right-click menu. Locking a file makes sure reviewers can’t change a file, previously only available from the File Approvals workflow, this change makes locking files easier.
Cyber Security
Slack redesign incoming
Slack is redesigning with a view to being a better messaging app and taming the chaos of your workday. It’s set to be Slack’s biggest redesign and might be divisive. The Seeto team thinks it might be an improvement on the current focus on channels, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
A people problem
A recent survey from Proofpoint, an email security business, revealed that 78% of UK Chief Information Security Offers rate human error as the most significant risk to data protection. Over half of UK board members surveyed were concerned about their liability in the event of a cybersecurity incident. The takeaway from Proofpoint’s Resident CISO is “the risk of material cyber-attacks [is] still very real and threats will continue to evolve.” “Boards must continue to invest heavily in improving preparedness and organisational resilience.”
Pictures pose a pestiferous problem
A significant vulnerability has been found in WebP, a modern image format, prompting updates to web browsers and installable applications built on a number of web technologies. Users of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and most other major browsers should update, as well as 1Password for desktop users. The list is not exhaustive, so check for updates now.
Check and verify
Recent casino breaches have allegedly been linked to an initial helpdesk password reset call. Taking multiple systems offline and forcing paper working, recovery took ten days. It raises the profile of vishing – or voice phishing – and the need for robust helpdesk verification processes. Seeto is revising its procedures for password and MFA reset and will be advising customers in due course.
Google indexes shared Bard conversations
It has been found that Google Search had indexed Bard conversations that were shared with others. This could potentially expose information users intended to be kept contained or confidential in search results pages. Google has since addressed this issue, but it doesn’t reflect well on the company.
Artificial Intelligence
More details on AI for Slack
Initially revealed at May’s World Tour in New York, we’re finally hearing more about what AI will look like in Slack. Summarisation is key, with automatic channel and thread summaries, as well as AI-generated answers in response to search queries. In other Slack news, automation builder improvements are live now and Slack Lists, exciting project planning/task management functionality, is expected to begin pilots this Winter and become generally available next year.
Never fear, indemnity is here
Commercial customers using Copilot AI are now indemnified by Microsoft via its new Copilot Copyright Commitment. Microsoft will foot the bill for copyright suits for businesses using Microsoft’s Copilots or the output they generate, as long as customers use Copilot’s guardrails and content filters. Notably absent are protections for individuals using Microsoft’s consumer AI solutions.
Mais oui! Je parle Français
Thanks to AI you can now speak perfect Spanish, French, Hindi, Italian, German, Polish, Portuguese or English. You upload a 30-second-plus video of a single person speaking and AI will translate and sync up your lip movements, sending back the same video in your chosen foreign language. Early feedback suggests translations aren’t bad, but the length of the queue to have your video translated may put you off – one to keep an eye on.
Bard sees all
Google Bard has received a significant update to enable Google’s AI chatbot to access your Google apps and services. Once connected, Bard can find and show you relevant information from Gmail, Docs, Drive, Google Maps, YouTube and Google Flights and hotels, even if the information is across multiple applications. You can also more easily verify factual results against Google search results. From a privacy perspective, personal content is not shown to human reviewers, nor used by Bard to train the model or show you ads, which is something.
Amazon invests in Claude
Amazon is investing up to $4 billion in Anthropic, the maker of the Claude AI model. The deal, which involves AWS taking minority stake, will make Anthropic’s AI widely accessible to AWS customers.
Product Showcase
Introducing the Riot Platform and your new best cybersecurity friend, Albert. The Riot Platform is a cyber security training tool that combines:
- an innovative security awareness programme that initiates short and engaging discussions on cybersecurity topics in the tools your employees use daily (Teams, Slack, or Email)
- phishing attack simulations that allow you to continuously test the vulnerability of your employees
- a data breach detection tool to keep your employees protected at all times
- all the reporting you need to demonstrate the impact and progress of the programme on a regular basis.
Albert, the face of Riot’s platform, is your friendly cyber security companion encouraging staff to brush up on their cyber security knowledge in an engaging, interesting way.
We love:
- the quality of the phishing campaigns
- that Riot has partnered with major business tech brands to use their logos under licence, and
- the flexibility to use pre-built templates or go it alone with AI-assistance.
Want to find out more? Speak to Seeto to arrange a demo and if you think your team won’t be fooled, we’ll put them to the test. We’re so confident you’ll love Riot that we’re offering your first phishing campaign on us.
The Seeto Take
Take control of your digital defences this Cyber Security Awareness Month
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, a perfect time to review and strengthen your business’s digital defences. Cyber security can seem complex, but there are inexpensive and simple steps you can take today that will significantly reduce your business’s risk. Read on for four actions you can take right now, at little or no cost, to enhance your business’s cyber security.
Educate Your Team: Employee education is the most effective way to improve cyber security. This could involve training sessions, workshops, or simply sending out informative emails. Make your employees aware of common cyber threats like phishing and how to avoid them. Creating your own training is free, but you can avoid the hard work by purchasing a cyber security awareness training and phishing simulation tool to support employee learning.
Regularly Update Your Software: Keeping your software up-to-date is one of the easiest ways to protect your business from cyber threats. Software updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Ensure your operating systems, applications, and devices are set to update automatically where possible – Seeto enables this by default.
Strengthen Your Passwords: Weak passwords are a common entry point for cyber criminals. Encourage your team to use strong, unique passwords for each account. If you don’t already, consider using a password manager, which can generate and store complex passwords securely, or identity management software, which replaces passwords in your organisation with a single identity that is securely passed between applications.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Everywhere: MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource such as an application or online account. This could be something they know (like a password), something they have (like a mobile device), or something they are (like a fingerprint).
Seeto customers are always able to reach out to their Technology Operations Manager to discuss these actions or any other aspect of their security.
At Seeto, we’re committed to helping you navigate the digital landscape safely. We offer a range of security-focused Targeted Solutions to new and existing customers, including our Business Technology Security Health Check, the easiest route to a detailed understanding of the potential weaknesses in your business technology estate, along with actionable recommendations for strengthening your cyber defences. You can find more information about all our security-focused Targeted Solutions at seeto.co.uk/services.
So, what are you waiting for? Take control of your cyber security this October and make your business a harder target for cyber criminals.
Recent OS Updates
Last updated 3 July 2024
Windows
Microsoft currently supports Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Windows 10 version 22H2 (10.0.19045)
- Windows 11 version 22H2 (10.0.22621) and version 23H2 (10.0.22631)
macOS
Apple officially supports the following Mac operating systems:
- macOS Sonoma 14.5
- macOS Ventura 13.6.7
- macOS Monterey 12.7.5
iOS and iPadOS
The supported iPhone and iPad operating systems are:
- iOS 17.5.1
- iPadOS 17.5.1
Android
Google supports the following Android operating systems:
- Android 14
- Android 13
- Android 12
Note that your device manufacturer may not support every version that Google produces security fixes for.
Learn how to check and update your Android version here.
