5G is finally here !

5G will arrive officially in the UK on the 30^th May with the mobile network EE.

They are officially launching 5G in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham with other cities added throughout 2019 to increase the overall 5G coverage.

What is 5G?

5G is the fifth-generation of mobile internet connectivity, following on from 2G, 3G and you’ve guessed it – 4G. This change will affect mobile phones, tablets and laptops which use a data connection via a sim card.

It promises faster data download and upload speeds, better mobile internet coverage and more reliable internet connections when using your mobile phone.

Whatever you currently do on your smartphone, you’ll be able to do it faster and easier, whether it’s mobile gaming, watching mobile videos (Youtube etc.) or video calls which will clearer and reliable. Fitness trackers will now also be able to monitor your health in real-time (the fitness tracker will however require the necessary technology to allow it to do this).

The change in technology will also allow for new internet-related services and innovations, including the development in autonomous vehicles to communicate with each other, reading live map information and traffic data.

Why do we need it?

Mobile devices are increasingly being used as our main interaction online, whether it’s visiting a website, updating our social media or streaming that album from Spotify; We’re consuming more and more data year on year as more media is made available.

For example in 2006 Amazon Video was introduced, followed shortly  by Netflix in 2007, these types of instant online services have increased in popularity year on year, with thousands of streaming apps, data-hungry games and online music-services being used by millions every day.

This demand on the mobile internet network causes congestion, especially if lots of users in the same area are trying to access mobile services at the same time, the service becomes slower and depending on the devices being used can stop working altogether.

5G has better capability for handling thousands of devices at the same time, however real-time speeds will be dependent on each carrier. 5G is a brand new radio technology and as such will require new masts and transmitters and investment in said equipment will vary from each network carrier, with some pig-backing off other carriers to provide the 5G service.

How much faster is 5G?

The fastest current 4G mobile networks offer about 45Mbps (megabits per second) on average, 5G could achieve browsing and download speeds which are 10 to 20 times faster than this, based on 5G networks built alongside existing 4G LTE networks.

A standalone 5G network could achieve a much faster rate, however these will not arrive for a few years.

Will I need a new phone?

Yes you will need a new smartphone. Current smart phones do not have the necessary technology to use the 5G network.

However, as the 5G infrastructure hasn’t yet been rolled out fully, a 5G-enabled smartphone is not expected until later in 2019.

The new generation smartphones will be able to work seamlessly between 4G and 5G to offer a more reliable and quicker internet connection, even during busy usage periods.

Will this affect my fixed line services?

No, 5G will only affect mobile internet available on devices with a sim, this will include smart phones, tablet devices and some laptops.

Domestic and office broadband services will remain to be provided by a fixed line connection for many years to come yet, due to the stability and certainty of the physical infrastructure currently in place and are therefore not affected by this change.

Will it work in rural areas?

No, not in the immediate future.

5G operates on high-frequency radio bands suitable for more densely-populated areas; It is not as suitable over longer distances, where lower-frequency bands are better.

With this in mind and with the 5G roll-out, there will also be focus on improving 4G LTE coverage to ensure the majority of the UK’s mobile internet users get the best service that is available to them wherever they are.

Did you know 14.5 billion spam emails are sent everyday and hidden in these emails are scamming emails. emails targeting users to click on links or provide personal information that they can use to infiltrate the security of your PC to gain passwords, usernames and logins. These types of scamming emails are known as phishing emails.

What is a phishing email?

A phishing email is an email attempting to masquerade as an individual (this may be someone known to you) or an organisation. These emails may ask for help (i.e. a friend or loved one stuck in a foreign country with no way to get home) or may offer freebies and refunds; All phishing emails usually contain a click through link or require you to confirm personal information to access your account.

The Test

A test was conducted by KnowBe4, they sent test phishing emails to 6 million email users.

They found emails which created a knee-jerk reaction in the user were the most effective, this includes the offering or loss of money, free food and drink emails, missed delivery attempts from a courier and contact requests appealing to our basic curiosity.

Social media themed phishing attacks also proved to be popular, with LinkedIn notifications the most convincing with requests to add people, join networks, reset passwords, and new messages, convincing 53 percent of test subjects to click through on dubious links.

We are all potentially vulnerable to phishing attacks and as they become more refined and harder to tell from genuine emails it is important you never click on a link in an email without considering a few tips first.

Types of Phishing Emails

1. Deceptive Phishing

A very common form of phishing, these emails imitate a legitimate company, using their logos, footers, email signatures and general email format in an attempt to access personal information such as login credentials or bank account details.

An example of this may be an email from Paypal. These emails are often titled with ‘Suspended Account’ or other similar titles designed to cause worry and an instant reaction. In the body of the email they will ask you to click a link whether it’s to restore your account or act now. All phishing emails will be very similar, always pay close attention to:

• wording, grammar and spelling in emails
• the email address that the email has been sent from, it may look genuine but with simple letters added, changed or removed
• the details of the URL it is trying to send you to, hover over the link provided in an email, this will provide the actual URL it is sending you to.

Never risk it by clicking on the links, simply contact the business or organisation yourself by going direct to their website, using their email addresses provided on the website or by calling them.

2. Spear Phishing

Spear phishing are emails tailored to the individual they are targeting. They use personal details to make the email user believe it is a genuine email, such as your name, location etc, any personal details available on platforms such as social media.

They have the same objective as general phishing but are often harder to detect.

Always look at the style and form of the email, is it different from emails previously received from this source? Is the email asking you to do something different?

If you have any doubts, never click on any links.

3. CEO Fraud/Whaling

“Hi, I’m out of the office but need to arrange payment immediately to ABC company for £3,500. Please make a bank transfer this afternoon, I can sign the necessary documents when I get back in …..”

This is a targeted form of phishing, it relies on personal information and contact details of the owner or a manager of the business which they then use to contact colleagues/staff to ask them to do something i.e. make a bank transfer to another individual or company.

These emails can be written in such a way to create urgency, this prevents the colleague questioning the original email before making the transaction as asked, when a quick phone call could have clarified it was actually a hoax.

If your manager, boss or colleague has not previously sent emails asking for transactions to be made, always double check by phone or in person.

Also look closely at the email address used to send the original email, the slightest change i.e. exchanging an o for an 0 or adding one extra letter to an email address is hard to detect and can make the email look genuine.

It’s better to delay a transaction rather than send money to cyber fraudsters.

4. Pharming

Pharming involves domain name system (DNS) cache poisoning.

Malicious code or a Trojan is installed on a computer or server, changing a computer’s host file to direct traffic away from the original URL, directing users to a fraudulent website, with the potential to install more viruses/Trojans or collect personal information. If it affects the DNS server, it can cause multiple users to visit the fake website without them been aware.

Anti-virus software can help prevent this however it is not 100% fail safe against such cybercrime as it is harder to detect and the websites users are directed to can look legitimate and genuine.

By using firewalls, you can protect and secure your IT network. For further information get in touch with us today.

5. Dropbox/Google Docs Phishing

Online file-sharing is one of the easiest online scams.

You receive an email supposedly from Dropbox or Google Docs saying someone (this could be someone you know) has sent you a file. To see that file you need to click on a link, you click on the link and it takes you to the website. When you arrive on the page it all looks genuine and to see the document you need to login. You enter your username and password, click enter and end up on a very different website unaffiliated with Dropbox or any other file sharing platform.

The cybercriminals now have your login details to whichever email platform you used to try to login to the fake Dropbox (Google Docs etc) website, they can now login to your email account, hijack your account and use it to distribute the same scam to all of your contacts in your online email address book.

When using any file-sharing platforms/websites it is recommended wherever possible to use Two-Factor Authentication. This will provide a six-digit code whenever a user logins in to the platform or a new user is added.

If you are sharing files online you could login directly to your file sharing website rather than clicking on any links in emails. When logged in you should be able to see any files which are being shared with you and who they are from.

What can be done

Putting the right technology in place such as firewalls and antivirus software along with providing security awareness for all staff minimises the risk of phishing attacks.

Your business and your employees need to be aware of these risks and avoid them wherever possible.

Speak to Myriad Digital today to discuss how we can help keep your business safe from cybercrime.

The Wannacry cyber attack targeted the NHS in 2017, it shut down hundreds of thousands of computers, affected 1/3 of Hospital Trusts and 8% of GP Practices in the UK.

The cyber attack came from no-where, infiltrating NHS systems, with 200,000 locked out of their computer and ransom messages appearing on screen demanding Bitcoin payments to release their data.

It cost the NHS £92 million in total, £72 million of which was used to ‘cleanup’ and upgrade their IT infrastructure and systems after it had happened, but could this have been prevented?

How did it happen?

WannaCry, a hard-drive encrypting malware, exploited a vulnerability in the Microsoft XP operating system which is no longer supported but still has a whopping 4.59% market share. A patch had been released that year in March, however it is user dependant to ensure updates and patches are applied to each computer. Are your computers patched up to date ?

It was speculated that the WannaCry malware was spread via an email campaign (phishing) however, it was found, this wasn’t the case. Using a leaked NSA hacking tool, Wannacry looked for vulnerable public-facing SMB ports it could establish a connection to.

Once it had found a way in, it could then apply itself to that machine and any other vulnerable machines on the connected network. It took just one computer which led to a whole network being infected with the ransom ware.

The NHS had clarified, after the attack that no patient information had been stolen; the Wannacry malware instead encrypted all documents, photos, videos and databases on each infected PC/laptop. Staff had to return to a pen and paper operation, using their personal mobile phones to carry on working.

It is estimated that 1% of the entire NHS workforce was disrupted over the course of that week.

What were the consequences?

In this situation more than 19,000 appointments had to be cancelled, costing the NHS £20m.

In another case, the Hilton Hotel group were fined £525k for risking 363,000 accounts in two credit card data breaches when they were hacked in a similar style which could have been avoided if goog IT practice was in place.

Is a data breach really likely in my business?

Over 4 in 10 businesses (43%) in the UK have had a data breach within the last 12 months (UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Cyber Security Survey 2018)

It is estimated that only 3 in 10 businesses currently have a formal cyber security policy in place.

Why invest in cyber security?

Scammers work around the clock, sending emails and creating viruses to infiltrate IT infrastructure of companies like yours. Did you know if your customer data is harvested through a hack you can and held liable and fined?

Viruses, Trojans, malware and ransomware can cause downtime to your business. If your files on your PC were encrypted and you could not access them what would you do?

Prevention is always better than the cure and with hacking on the increase it’s time to get your IT up to scratch to ensure you’re not vulnerable.

Things you can do to prevent a data breach

1. Backup your data regularly, with regular off-site automated backups
2. Deploy strong passwords, using a password generator if necessary
3. Train your employees in safe working practice when online
4. Encrypt your data
5. Invest in the latest technology now rather than take the risk

At Myriad Digital we offer entire solutions, from secure offsite backups, to Award-winning antivirus software, encryption programs and contingency planning so that you are covered should anything go wrong. Why not call us to arrange a meeting about keeping your business secure. Tel. 01626 360011

Remember Windows 7 will not be supported beyond February 2020 – so why not look at replacement options for your older computers and consider our leasing packages to make thing affordable.

Choosing the right laptop for you and your business

There are many brands, hundreds of models, so when it comes to selecting the right laptop for your business and employees it can be difficult to know what you need from the machine itself its operating system.

There are three main components to look at in any laptop

• Power
• Performance
• Portability

Laptops available on the high street may appear tempting with special offers or bundled options, however nearly all models in retail stores will be suited and designed for simple home use, i.e. browsing on the web, doing homework etc; or created for gamers, with expensive graphics cards and added RAM for speed and effective visual output when gaming.

The cheaper the laptop the more basic it will be with a lack of ability to join it to a domain, run business software or multi-task with various windows/tabs open at the same time.  Cheaper laptop deals often also feature older generation CPUs (more about this later).

Laptop power & performance

When looking at any laptop consider the size and speed of the hard drive, the RAM, CPU and screen size.

These four components will make up the performance of the machine and generally the bigger the specification, the faster and smoother the computer will be to use.

Let’s break them down and explain the components.

The hard drive stores your information, documents, files etc. The larger the hard drive, the more you can store. The smaller the hard drive the less storage available and as it is used, the laptop may slow down and you may experience ‘freezing’ whilst accessing applications or files.

Anyone in a creative industry, working with larger files types such as videos or high-resolution graphics will require larger hard drives.

Measured in Gigabytes and Terabytes, the minimum specification for an office environment is 1TB however for maximum performance on any machine an SSD (Solid State Drive) may be worth investing in, although it can be costly, it can provide long-term effective performance.

The RAM manages the smooth running of tasks. A good average RAM for any office environment is 8GB – 16GB, however advanced graphics and web design will require a RAM of 32GB and above.

The Central Processing Unit or CPU has three elements to look at, the generation i.e. i5 (5^th Gen), the number of cores (dual-core, quad-core), and the speed of each core.  Dual-core should be the bare minimum used for an office laptop.

The generation is very important, a 1.9GHz CPU from three years ago will not perform as well as a 1.9GHz CPU built today. Newer chips are more efficient and less power-hungry, meaning the laptops are a lighter weight with a much longer battery life.

When looking at which screen size to opt for, consider the battery life and quality of screen required. Size does not equal quality, you will need to look at individual screen resolutions from the laptop specifications.  The finish is also important for some users and comes in matt or gloss which tends to reflect more making the screen harsher on the eyes.

The more creative your business i.e. if you work with images or videos the better quality screen you will require therefore opt for a higher resolution screen.

An average laptop screen may be 1366 x 768p, through to a decent screen of1920 x 1080p, some offer Full HD.

The larger the two numbers on the spec, the clearer the laptop screen image will be.

Laptop portability

Portability will depend on the size, the weight and the battery life.

Laptops can range from 10.1” through to 17”, with ultra-thin laptops weighing from 1kg with larger bulkier models weighing sometimes four times as heavy at 4kg.

If you or your employees are going to travel with a laptop daily or frequently, a lighter laptop is the best option.

Laptops with the biggest screens are great when working however the larger the laptop the more battery power required for it to operate, therefore always check the average battery life before making a purchase and read reviews from other users of the machine to see if the manufacturers claims of battery life are true to their word. Charging points in public places i.e. on trains and at airports are more common these days, however the longer the battery life, the better.

Let us help you find the right laptop

At Myriad, we’ve assisted many businesses and charities finding the right laptop, from an initial chat, discussing what you require we can provide competitive quotes and offer commissioning, data trasnfer and joining to your domian so that it’s ready to go when you receive. If you are in the market for a newmodel then please dont hesitate to contact us and we’ll see what the best current deals are then select something that suits your criteria

Embracing The Cloud

Amazon, Google Drive, Drop Box all offer cloud storage solutions and as the amount of UK businesses now using cloud computing continues to grow, have you considered how moving to the cloud could help your business?

Before the cloud, finding the right software and applications for any business was often difficult and potentially costly without any guaranteed results. Many business programs or software would offer a one-size fits all approach without considering the business type, size or industry that your company was in.

Once chosen, the software would require the right IT infrastructure to support the installation and configuration, regular testing and updating to ensure it could be used smoothly by all users.
This was a challenge to small and large companies alike; even those with their own in-house IT often struggled to find and implement the right software successfully.
With the introduction of cloud computing it has eliminated these risks, reducing the costs, making it easier to use on any platform and removing the need for on-going maintenance and updates in house. With online software such as Office 365 you only pay for what you need and use as opposed to offline programs that would require the purchase of the whole package, with many applications going unused.

Up-scaling and downscaling in the cloud is also a lot easier, with upgrade options available the very same day, which means your business continues to operate without any IT restrictions. Apps can be customised to suit your employees, whether they are working from home, the train or even on holiday, everything is available at their fingertips, quickly and securely.
The cloud can be accessed by PCs, laptops, tablet devices as well as smartphones and as more employees are now working with mobile devices, moving to the cloud could provide the flexibility your business requires.

We work with businesses that are permanently online, removing the need for a ‘traditional’ office and the costs that this can incur. The world is on the move and keeping your business just as adaptable can be a strong advantage over competitors.

Moving to the Cloud

Changing any business’s IT infrastructure and systems can seem daunting and without experiencing the cloud for yourself it can be difficult to see the true advantages and reasons to make the switch. This is where we are here to help, we offer advice tailored specifically to your business, from its size through to the industry, we can help find the right Cloud solution for your business.
Moving to the cloud can remove the requirement for daily backups and updates, reduce your operational expenses and make working life a lot easier and simpler, with one-click user logins you can access all of your files on the move wherever you are, making your business mobile and operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without the need to have an onsite team based in an office.
Installation is quick and can even be undertaken remotely by one of our technicians to minimise any office disruption.

Our Cloud Package
At Myriad Digital, we understand that internet and data security is paramount to any business, this is why we only use cloud solutions provided by the most respectable providers in the industry.

Please click below to see what we have to offer and call us if you are considering moving to the cloud
G Suite
Office 365
AWS or Amazon Web Services

We also offer a full range of IT services, support and maintenance. This means whether you need a helping hand onsite or some remote assistance to help with any queries, our team are here for you and your business whenever you need us.

How Investing in the Right Technology can make the difference to your business

Technology changes every day, whether it’s a completely new innovation or improving or updating the equipment we use currently.

Technology companies around the world work tirelessly to compete and to improve on what they can offer businesses, both large and small to help drive growth and productivity.

Investing in the right technology now can help with your commercial success in the long and short term. Whatever industry you operate in, businesses can succeed or fail based on their technology strategies and subsequent investment.

A new generation of technology businesses such as Apple, Google and Amazon turned the business world on its head in a very short space of time and now dominate their retrospective markets due to their technological developments and application thereof. They changed how other businesses work and doomed others without the right technology and IT infrastructure to fail overnight.

We understand that planning your IT requirements for the longer term can be difficult and daunting, given the speed with which technology is advancing. However by looking ahead, expecting change and being able to adapt when required helps you to ensure your business is as technologically future-proof as any business can be.

Laying the technology foundations for your business now gives you the ability to develop your plans or pivot when you need to.

Plan your IT Strategically

All planning needs to begin with a review and an audit, to assess and look at where your business IT is now and where it needs to be.

You need to look at what technology you currently use, the advantages/disadvantages and how it can be improved upon.

The next step is looking at where you want your business to be in a year, two years or 10 years, what you are looking to achieve and what the specific targets of the business are.

We can’t guess what technology you’ll need in 10 years, but we can help you attain your business goals by suggesting and supplying the right technology, whether it’s hardware, software or online applications that will facilitate the business growth you are looking for.

Our IT audit covers :

• Data Backup
• Cyber Security
• Anti Virus
• Best Practices
• Network Services
• Server performance
• Computer performance

Your IT strategy is just as important as your business plan

Putting technology at the heart of your business strategy allows you to plan, fosters growth and development and increases productivity in your business.

Remaining with older out-dated and unsupported IT systems, hardware and software puts your business at risk and with the continuous technological development will need to be updated at some point.

The earlier you plan and adapt for technological change, the better the advantage over competitors and stronger your business will be going forward.

Your business plan and IT strategy are intrinsically linked and should be integral to one another. In this technological age no business can afford to be complacent and any improvements to business operations and productivity can save a company thousands of pounds.

To find out more about planning your business’s technological future and a free IT audit contact us on 01626 360011.

Here’s a list of the most important things you need to reduce the risk of being hit by ransomware – of course if you feel you need more advice or a system audit then please call us and we’ll pop round !

Simple steps to prevent ransomware attacks:

1 BACKUP REGULARLY – Please note that many conventional backup methods may be compromised.

2 PATCH YOUR SYSTEMS – Keep your software up to date

3 EDUCATE YOUR STAFF – This goes a long way to avoiding the problems

4 PROTECT YOUR NETWORK – Get the right anti virus solutions in place

5 SEGMENT YOUR NETWORK – keep your critical apps and data isolated

6 SECURE YOUR ENDPOINTS – including all smart phones !

7 – PROTECT ANDROID DEVICES – including tablets

8 – QUARANTINE ROGUE FILES – Consider sandboxing to filter the good from the bad

At myriad digital we have extensive experience of implementing system security that works, so if you want help with any of the above aspects or you would like us to test your infrastructure then please call us to arrange a visit

Our managed Wi-Fi solutions allow you to offer secure internal and guest Wi-Fi access with full control of accessibility across all devices.

We implement Wi-Fi policies that allow you to provide the right level of access to both in-house and public Wi-Fi users providing appropriate connection protocols for staff, contractors and public hotspots.

The Wi-Fi hardware that we deploy provides a number of key advantages over other Wi-Fi solutions including:

• Rapid Deployment
• Scalability for Thousands
• Long Range Performance (up to 600ft)
• Simultaneous Dual-Band Wi-Fi
• Advanced Software Features

Have you used the British Airways website recently?

Debit and credit card details may have been stolen from over 185,000 customers after the British Airways website was hacked yet again.

It is estimated 77,000 had their name, address, email address and detailed payment information taken and 108,000 people lost personal details.

This comes after a previous breach of its website earlier this year affecting 380,000 transactions, where passenger names and home addresses were compromised, as well as financial information, including debit and credit card numbers, expiry dates and CVV codes. In this instance, malicious code designed to ‘skim’ financial data was injected into the British Airways website without being detected.

All websites are based on code, it determines the functionality along with the overall design, but malicious code can be injected instead. It is common for websites to embed multiple pieces of code from other sources or third-party suppliers and hackers can exploit this vulnerability.

Both attacks were carried out by the same perpetrators.

British Airways will be contacting the customers affected by this to inform them if their details have been stolen.

Unfortunately British Airways are not the only company to experience this type of cyber attack and they are on the rise.

Once cyber criminals have personal data it can be used to access bank and credit card accounts to make fraudulent purchases. Stolen data may also be sold using the Dark Web.

Some security experts suggest that it’s likely the data stolen by the British Airways hackers is already available for sale on the dark web.

There will be an investigation by the UK’s National Crime Agency and the Information Commissioner’s Office.

You can check if your personal data has been compromised by data breaches by using https://haveibeenpwned.com/

Designed and hand built by Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple in 1976, the Apple 1 was a bare circuit board provided without power supply, monitor or keyboard. It could be used for playing games, running the BASIC operating system or developing programs.

As a Hewlett-Packard employee, Wozniak originally offered HP the rights to the Apple -1. It declined.

To fund the project Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator for $500 (£318), while Jobs sold his VW Microbus. 200 units were created in total and 175 sold.

It went on sale in 1976 for $666.66 (around £545) and it was the world’s first low-cost, assembled computer.

With the release of the Apple 2, Jobs and Wozniak wanted to reclaim some of the original boards used in the Apple 1, so they offered trade-in discounts against the new model. The boards which were reclaimed were then destroyed explaining why this product is so rare.

There are approximately 60 Apple 1 computers remaining, with only eight working examples. The Apple Registry has a list of them all.

The auction took place in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday and  the final bid was won by an anonymous businessman who placed his bid online.

The highest price ever paid for an Apple -1 was $905,000 (£575,900) by the Henry Ford museum complex in October 2014.

In May 2015 a box of electronic goods was dropped off at a tech recycling business in Silicon Valley. This box contained a 1976 Apple 1 which was subsequently sold at auction for $200,000. Before chucking out or recycling computers, laptops, mobile phones, software or hardware it’s worth doing a quick Google check to see if they are an older, rarer technology which may fetch you a pound or two.