Techcess: embracing technology and IT support for success in your business – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the latest episode of Techcess, your go-to podcast for all things IT and cybersecurity.

In this episode, we'll be discussing the critical considerations when contemplating a switch in IT support providers in 2024.

Scroll down to get your free copy of our Buyer's Guide, new for 2024!

Hi and welcome to the Techcess podcast. I'm Mark Riddell and in this episode we're going to be discussing the challenges businesses face when selecting an IT company, drawing parallels to buying a car and emphasising the need for a structured approach.

I'll also be sharing the importance of aligning IT strategy with business objectives and the potential benefits of a comanaged IT environment.

If you want some insights into the initial 90 days with a new IT provider, the significance of responsive and effective support, and need to know when you should be considering a change in your IT support provider, this episode is a must-listen.

So, sit back, hit that play button, and let's dive into this insightful discussion on navigating the landscape of IT support providers.

Check out our complete guide to buying IT services in 2024.

Psst! Want to get more 'Techcess' in your business?

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "Techcess" is an m3 Networks production. Mark and the team have created this podcast to help you and their clients understand how technology can help them in their industry and business, including helping them with cyber security solutions. To find out more about Mark Riddell and the rest of the m3 team, visit them here and follow them on Linkedin.

If you want to get in touch about technology or cyber security, just address an email directly at Mark here. He'll be very happy to hear from you.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, make sure you follow the podcast via your favourite app.

Fancy giving the Techcess technology podcast a review and rating? Click here - https://www.techcesspodcast.com 

Techcess is a podcast from 

 Is Your Phone Compromised? 7 Signs of a Hacked Smartphone Revealed!

Welcome back to Techcess, the podcast that keeps you informed about all things technology and cybersecurity.

In today's episode, we're diving into the world of smartphone hacking.

Whether you're using the latest iPhone or an Android device, it's important to know the signs that your phone may be hacked and what steps you can take to prevent it.

We'll cover the seven key signs to watch out for, from unusual pop-ups to increased data usage, and even a camera indicator light that mysteriously turns on.

But don't worry, we've got you covered with tips on how to protect your phone and what to do if you suspect it's been compromised.

Listen until the end for some intriguing intel, Techcess Annie’s Tech Update and a humorous tech-related joke with “Gigglebytes”.

Hi and welcome to the Techcess podcast. I'm Mark Riddell and in this episode I'm talking to you about how you can identify the 7 signs your phone is hacked!

Detecting phone hacks

The episode lists various ways in which hackers can gain unauthorized access to smartphones.

These methods include phishing scams, SIM swapping attacks, malicious apps, unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, exploiting operating system vulnerabilities, and the sneaky technique of "Juice Jacking" through compromised charging stations or cables.

• These signs include
• 
  
• Unusual pop-ups
• 
  
• Increased data usage
• 
  
• The presence of unknown apps
• 
  
• Rapid battery drainage
• 
  
• Inability to log into accounts
• 
  
• Unexpected two-factor authentication code requests
• 
  
• The camera indicator light turning on without user input

The 7 signs your phone is hacked

The podcast episode focuses in on the seven signs that can alert users to a potential phone hack security breach.

·         These signs include

·         Unusual pop-ups

·         Increased data usage

·         The presence of unknown apps

·         Rapid battery drainage

·         Inability to log into accounts

·         Unexpected two-factor authentication code requests

·         The camera indicator light turning on without user input

Recognising these signs can help users take appropriate actions to secure their devices.

What to Do If Your Phone Is Hacked:

The episode provides practical steps to take if a phone hack is suspected.

Firstly, changing passwords, especially for crucial accounts like email, is crucial.

The podcast episode recommends some other solutions to the problem including considering a factory reset.

What you'll learn from listening to this episode of Techcess

Ways your phone can be hacked

- Phishing scams (via email, text, or SMS)

- SIM...

Hi, this is Mark Riddell, host of the Techcess podcast.

We talk about cyber criminals and cyber security on this podcast a lot. But in this episode we're actually going to list the industries most valuable to attack. If you work in any of them, you'll need to send the episode to your boss to listen to, asap!

As I recently spoke at a Cyber Lunch and Learn event, a question caught my attention: Do cybercriminals target all businesses equally? The answer is no, and in this episode, we'll explore the industries most vulnerable to cybercrime.

However, there's one industry on the list that may not apply to our listeners, yet it's still a shocker given the level of expertise and the value of the data within that industry! 

But before we dig into the details, let's start with a quick introduction.

Cybersecurity is a subject we've covered extensively on this podcast, and for good reason - it's the number one threat facing businesses today. 

In the midst of a global digital transformation, where technology is advancing and businesses are moving towards the cloud, AI, blockchain, and Web 3.0, the possibilities seem limitless.

However, with these advancements come vulnerabilities, and cybercrime is on the rise year after year.

In fact, the pandemic and the shift to remote work have only accelerated cyberattacks.

With employees working from home or public spaces, securing an IT estate has become more complex than ever. Unfortunately, cybersecurity remains an underinvested area for many businesses—most don't even have a dedicated cybersecurity budget.

This podcast aims to shed light on this critical issue and encourage businesses to take proactive measures.

Now, it's important to note that cyber criminals don't target only big tech giants and government agencies. Small and medium-sized businesses are equally at risk and often fall victim to cyberattacks.

The consequences are not limited to immediate financial loss but can also entail long-term damage to a company's brand, loss of customer trust, potential legal costs, and the high expenses associated with recovery.

In this episode I'll be revealing the percentage of cyber attacks that target small businesses, and how many of those businesses that suffer an attack go out of business within six months.

The impact may not be immediate, but the implications on cash flow, sales, and customer loyalty can deal a devastating blow.

You'll definitely want to listen in as we get into the top five industries most affected by cybercrime in the UK.

Whether you're in these industries or not, this episode will provide valuable insights to help you safeguard your business.

• Does cybercrime affect all industries equally?
• The significance of cyber security in all businesses.
• The impact of global digital transformation and technological advancements.
• The double-edged sword of technology, with limitless possibilities and vulnerabilities.
• Why we're not mentioning industries least affected by cybercrime!
• Some statistics around cyberattacks on small businesses.

00:00:00 Top 5 industries affected by cybercrime 00:04:09 Cybersecurity overlooked: Businesses lack budget and awareness. 00:07:38 Cybersecurity: Can you outrun the bear? 00:11:35 Anthem cyberattack: stats and numbers. 00:15:56 Cyberattacks on manufacturing - the impacts.

One of the most important issues when it comes to managing passwords in a business is creating and enforcing a password policy.

This policy should require employees to create strong passwords that are difficult to guess, and to change their passwords on a regular basis.

Additionally, the policy should prohibit employees from sharing their passwords with others.

But this is an incredibly difficult policy to project manage and keep check on.

Here's the link to the guide Mark mentions in the episode:

https://m3networks.co.uk/itguides/everything-you-need-to-know-about-password-managers-for-your-business/

"Passwords are a necessary evil hated by everyone. And yes, that even includes us IT professionals. Now, everyone knows deep down that they should try harder with their passwords, but everything about them just seems difficult because great passwords are really difficult to think up, even harder to remember.

And it's highly frustrating when you get them wrong and you have to reset them. And this is what encourages people into sloppy habits, such as relying on weak passwords or reusing them across multiple logins."

Tech Topics covered in this episode:

• The frustrations of remembering passwords
• Passwords are being phased out
• What can you do in the meantime?
• The benefits of using a password manager
• The risks of using a password manager
• What Mark personally uses and why he uses it

If you'd like Mark to offer you some free guidance on where you currently stand when it comes to password protection in your own business, book a free 30 minute chat with him now.

Book a free chat with Mark!

If you're at risk of a security breach, he'll help you figure out a way to mitigate that risk!

Previous episodes you might like to check out for a more in-depth listen:

Want to get more 'Techcess' in your business?

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "

While Windows 11 is only just celebrating its first birthday, we’re already hearing our first rumours about what Windows 12 will have in store.

There’s no rush for the time being – we won’t see this new operating system until the back end of 2024 – but we love to be ready for what’s coming next, so here’s what we know so far…

And Techcess Annie is here to tell you what that is!

If you want to check out our full episodes, covering everything from how to protect your business from a phishing attack, through to how you can effectively manage your patching systems, check them out here - https://www.techcesspodcast.com/episodes/

Book a free chat with Mark!

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "Techcess" is an m3 Networks production. Mark and the team have created this podcast to help you and their clients understand how technology can help them in their industry and business, including helping them with cyber security solutions. To find out more about Mark Riddell and the rest of the m3 team, visit them here and follow them on Linkedin.

If you want to get in touch about technology or cyber security, just address an email directly at Mark here. He'll be very happy to hear from you.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, make sure you follow the podcast via your favourite app.

Fancy giving the Techcess technology podcast a review and rating? Click here. 

In case you didn't already know... (where have you been living?!)

Office 365 is a subscription-based office software suite from Microsoft.

It includes the applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access.

Obviously Word and Excel are very commonly known, as most people who use a computer have either worked in those applications at some point.

The suite is available for both personal and business use.

In addition to the standard office applications, Office 365 also includes features such as cloud storage and Skype for Business.

And the thing is, it’s not just large faceless corporate head offices that are making use of it.

Office 365 can be used by businesses of any, and all sizes.

And a lot of them have made one particular tool very famous recently.

After all, how many Teams calls have you been on since the pandemic?

Yep, another Office 365 favourite.

Another useful feature; businesses can use Office 365 to collaboratively work on documents, share calendars and messages, and hold online meetings.

The suite also includes a number of applications that can be used to create professional-looking documents, presentations and spreadsheets.

So, now we’ve established how useful this software is, let’s talk about whether or not you’re paying what you should be for it.

Listen to the episode to learn the answer.

"As a Microsoft partner, we resell Office 365 licences to our customers. Our purchase price is less than the price Microsoft charges directly, so we're already making a margin. Now, granted, it's not much, certainly not enough to live on, which is why we don't sell Office 365 to a business unless they are an IT support customer first. Because if you factor in the set up time and then dealing with the support requests, we'd likely never make any money from it. And profit isn't a dirty word in business. Just like you, we have to make a profit from the things that we sell. So for us, it's very much a value add product."

Tech Topics covered in this episode:

• Microsoft Office 365
• How the software is sold
• Why some companies charge more for Office 365
• The various reasons you might be overpaying
• Do you even need your licenses in the first place?

If you'd like Mark to offer you some free guidance on where you currently stand when it comes to Office 365 in your own business, book a free 30 minute chat with him now.

Book a free chat with Mark!

If you're overpaying or paying for the wrong things, he'll help you find out.

Previous episodes you might like to check out for a more in-depth listen:

Want to get more...

Microsoft Teams has fast become one of THE most useful business tools for the way we work today.

No matter where your people work from, they can communicate and collaborate quickly and reliably.

But this remote way of working can also open the door to some MAJOR security issues.

And Techcess Annie is here to explain them all to you!

If you want to check out our full episodes, covering everything from how to protect your business from a phishing attack, through to how you can effectively manage your patching systems, check them out here - https://www.techcesspodcast.com/episodes/

Book a free chat with Mark!

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "Techcess" is an m3 Networks production. Mark and the team have created this podcast to help you and their clients understand how technology can help them in their industry and business, including helping them with cyber security solutions. To find out more about Mark Riddell and the rest of the m3 team, visit them here and follow them on Linkedin.

If you want to get in touch about technology or cyber security, just address an email directly at Mark here. He'll be very happy to hear from you.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, make sure you follow the podcast via your favourite app.

Fancy giving the Techcess technology podcast a review and rating? Click here. 

If you've been listening to Techcess for a while, you'll know we have our chosen charity partners throughout the year.

Every three months we team up with a new partner, and directly connect our customer feedback (which is always excellent) to our charity giving.

We do this so that we can make a serious impact on our local area at m3 Networks HQ.

This quarter, we're delighted to be working with Saints in the Community, based at McDiarmid Park - yes that McDiarmid Park, in Perth.

The St Johnstone FC Community Department was established in 1992 with the initial emphasis being on developing a network of football coaching courses for children and young people, along side providing SFA Coach Education Programme.

It's now widely recognised that sport can be a force for good which produces numerous social benefits including improving self esteem and inspiring kids to become more active participants within their communities .

Tech Topics covered in this episode:

• How are we helping Saints in the Community?
• Who is Danny Griffin and what's his history in SPL (including time spent at St Johnstone, and Arbroath?
• Who is Francis Smith?
• What do Saints in the Community do to improve opportunities for young people, and ease child poverty? 

Click if you want to become a corporate supporter like m3

Click here to help through volunteering

Email them

Want to get more 'Techcess' in your business?

Book a free chat with Mark!

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "Techcess" is an m3 Networks production. Mark and the team have created this podcast to help you and their clients understand how technology can help them in their industry and business, including helping them with cyber security solutions. To find out more about Mark Riddell and the rest of the m3 team, visit them here and follow them on Linkedin.

If you want to get in touch about technology or cyber security, just address an email directly at Mark here. He'll be very happy to hear from you.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, make sure you follow the podcast via your favourite app.

Fancy giving the

When you think about tools for remote working and chatting online, one of the first names in your mind is Zoom.

But its popularity has opened the door for cyber criminals.

They’re using its name to steal sensitive data.

Listen to learn about six sites that are lying to you to steal your details.

If you want to check out our full episodes, covering everything from how to protect your business from a phishing attack, through to how you can effectively manage your patching systems, check them out here - https://www.techcesspodcast.com/episodes/

Book a free chat with Mark!

Get more valuable technology insights from m3's blog pages, here.

Mark Riddell's technology podcast "Techcess" is an m3 Networks production. Mark and the team have created this podcast to help you and their clients understand how technology can help them in their industry and business, including helping them with cyber security solutions. To find out more about Mark Riddell and the rest of the m3 team, visit them here and follow them on Linkedin.

If you want to get in touch about technology or cyber security, just address an email directly at Mark here. He'll be very happy to hear from you.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, make sure you follow the podcast via your favourite app.

Fancy giving the Techcess technology podcast a review and rating? Click here. 

When it comes to running a business, it can be stressful enough just keeping things ticking over.

Throw in the constant threat of a cyber attack toppling things into the mix, and you've got a serious case of hair-greying operations.

Thankfully, this episode of Techcess is all about bringing the subject of defending your business from cyber crime back on the important to do list.

And not only that, but that you're investing the correct amounts of budget into the correct things.

Because when it comes to the risk of cost to your business from suffering a cyber attack, investment in prevention is always going to be cheaper.

**Download the free PDF guide Mark mentions using THIS link! 

(You don't have to give any details and the download isn't hidden behind any email subscribe button!)**

"Most people just aren't taking cybercrime seriously and are still the weakest link in the chain. And we estimate that up to 80% of cybercrime that we deal with has started because a human made a mistake. Well, then there's three key areas that you need to focus on for your defence. Strategy number one is having the right tools. And the trick here is to put in place a blend of cybersecurity measures that protect your business to a high level without overly inconvenience in your staff. Secondly, you want to have the right systems. Now, unfortunately, you can't rely upon security tools alone to protect the business. They have to be used in the right way, which means implementing and policing systems."

**Once again, if you want to download the free "The business owners complete guide to defend and invest" download, you can do that here!

Tech Topics covered in this episode:

• 'Defend'
• Removing the opportunities for the 'burglars' circling your business
• The three key drivers of the rise in cyber crime
• 'Invest' 
• What to invest in, and how much you should invest

Previous episodes Mark references that you might like to check out for a more in-depth listen:

Do you know your phishing from your vishing and smishing?

Want to get more 'Techcess' in your business?

Book a free chat with Mark!

Get more...