How much time do you waste sorting through emails every day, trying to figure out what really needs your attention?

If you’re like most business owners, the answer is probably “too much”.

Between customer queries, supplier updates, internal messages, and the occasional bit of junk, your inbox can feel overwhelming.

And if you or your team miss something important because it got buried, that can cause delays, confusion, or worse.

Well guess what?

Microsoft is adding a clever new tool to help with this.

Outlook for iOS and Android will soon use Copilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant, to flag your most important emails. It’s called Priority view, and will sort your inbox into two simple categories: High Priority and Needs Replies.

That means when you open Outlook on your phone, the emails that matter most will stand out straight away.

We all know how easy it is for important messages to slip through the cracks, especially when you’re busy or juggling multiple roles. With Priority view, you’ll spend less time digging through your inbox. And that leaves you more time for other, more important things.

For employees, it can take away some of the stress of keeping up with emails. No more worrying that they’ve missed something vital buried under a pile of newsletters or group updates.

It’s worth noting that this feature will be rolling out gradually. It could take until late 2025 before everyone sees it. Also, it’s only available to businesses using Microsoft 365 with a Copilot license, as Copilot is a paid add-on.

But if you’re already considering AI tools to help your business work smarter, this is one to watch.

Curious about how Copilot could help your business? Whether it’s with Outlook, Teams, or other tools, or you want to chat about making your email setup more efficient, get in touch. Helping you stay on top of your tech is what we’re here for.   

Here’s a question to make you pause: Do you know exactly who in your business can access your critical data right now?

And more importantly, do they need that access to do their job?

If you’re like most business owners, you probably assume that access is sorted out during setup and that’s the end of it. But new research says otherwise.

It turns out that around half of staff in businesses have access to far more data than they should.

Which is a big problem.

Not just because of the risk of someone doing something malicious, but because mistakes happen. When people can see things they don’t need, it opens the door to accidents, breaches, and headaches with compliance and audits.

This is what’s known as insider risk.

It simply means the risk that comes from people inside your business, whether they’re employees, contractors, or anyone else who has access to your systems.

Sometimes insider risk is deliberate, like when someone steals data.

But far more often it’s unintentional. Someone clicks on the wrong thing, sends information to the wrong person, or keeps hold of access when they leave the business. And that’s when trouble starts.

One of the biggest issues is what’s called “privilege creep”.

That’s where people gradually build up more access than they really need, often because they move roles, get added to new systems, or no one takes a close look at what they can see.

The research shows that only a tiny percentage of businesses are actively managing this properly. And that means huge amounts of data are being left exposed.

Even scarier, nearly half of businesses admit that some of their ex-staff still have access to systems months after leaving. That’s like leaving the keys to your office in the hands of someone who no longer works for you.

The solution is to make sure your people can only access what they need, and nothing more. This is often called “least privilege”.

It means setting up systems so that permissions are limited to what’s necessary. And access is only given temporarily when required. That’s sometimes referred to as “just in time” access.

And just as important, when someone leaves your business, all their access should be removed straight away.

Today’s world of cloud apps, AI tools, and “invisible IT” (where software is used without IT even knowing about it) makes this trickier. But it’s not impossible. It just means being proactive.

Regularly reviewing who has access to what, tightening permissions, and using tools that help automate this can make a huge difference.

The aim isn’t to slow people down. It’s to protect your data, your customers, and your business’s reputation.

If you need help checking how secure your access controls are, get in touch. It’s better to know now than after a breach.   

When was the last time you thought about how you log in to your accounts?

Or how secure those logins really are?

For years, we’ve relied on passwords. But let’s be honest, passwords are a pain. They’re easy to forget, often reused, and a prime target for cyber criminals.

That’s where passkeys come in. And, at last, Windows is making it much easier to use them.

So… what is a passkey?

Think of it as a modern replacement for your password. Instead of typing in a string of characters that could be stolen or guessed, a passkey lets you sign in using something far safer. Your face, fingerprint, or a secure PIN tied to your device.

Behind the scenes, passkeys work using advanced cryptography. There’s no password for hackers to steal, because the passkey is made up of two parts: One stays on your device, and one stays with the service you’re logging into.

They work together like a lock and key. But the key never leaves your pocket, so to speak. And because you can’t accidentally hand it over, it’s much harder for phishing scams to trick you.

Until now, using passkeys in Windows has felt clunky. You often had to rely on third-party apps or websites, and it wasn’t always clear how to set things up or manage them.

But Microsoft is changing that.

It’s started rolling out new features in Windows 11 that make passkeys far easier to use and manage.

One big improvement is a new partnership with 1Password, a password manager. This means you’ll be able to sync your passkeys smoothly in Windows 11.

And if you don’t use 1Password, don’t worry. Microsoft has also released a new tool for other password managers to integrate with Windows more easily.

In simple terms, your passkeys will work better with the tools you already use to keep your business secure.

Right now, these improvements are being tested in the latest Windows 11 preview build, so they’re not available to everyone yet. But this is a clear sign of where things are headed.

Microsoft is serious about moving away from passwords. In fact, the Microsoft Authenticator app is phasing out its password management capability. Instead, passkeys will be the default way to sign in to your Microsoft accounts going forward.

Passkeys are much more secure and far less hassle than managing endless passwords. And with Windows making it easier to adopt them, now’s a good time to start thinking about how your business can make the switch.

If you’d like help understanding passkeys or getting your business ready for a password-free future, get in touch.   

When you hire someone new, do you think about how secure your business really is?

Most business owners focus on making sure their new starter has what they need. You know, a laptop, email account, access to the right systems… maybe a quick intro to the team.

But those first few months of a new employee’s journey are one of the most dangerous times for your business’s cyber security.

And it often flies completely under the radar.

New research has revealed a worrying truth. Nearly three-quarters of new hires (71% to be precise) fall for phishing or social engineering attacks within their first 90 days on the job.

That means cyber criminals are actively targeting your newest team members. And too often, they succeed.

Why is this happening?

Well, think about how it feels to start a new job. You’re trying to make a good impression. You don’t know all the processes yet. You’re keen to follow instructions and do the right thing.

Cyber criminals know this. They take advantage of that uncertainty with cleverly written emails or messages that look like they come from the boss, HR, or even tech support.

These scams might ask your new hire to update their details on a fake HR portal. Or they might send a bogus invoice that looks urgent. Sometimes it’s as simple as an email pretending to be from a senior manager, asking for sensitive information or for a quick favour.

Because that new employee hasn’t yet learned who’s who and what’s normal, they’re much more likely to fall for it. In fact, new employees are 44% more likely to click on these traps than colleagues who’ve been around a while.

It’s not just theory. The stats back it up. When attackers pose as company executives, new starters are 45% more likely to be fooled than experienced staff.

That’s a big gap, and it shows just how vulnerable your business can be during the onboarding period.

So… what can you do about it?

The key is to recognise that cyber security training shouldn’t wait until your new hire has “settled in”. Those early days are exactly when they need clear guidance on spotting phishing emails, understanding how cyber criminals operate, and knowing what to do if something seems off.

Businesses that take this seriously see real results. The same report found that companies offering tailored security awareness training and running realistic simulations for new staff saw their phishing risk drop by 30% after onboarding. That’s a massive difference. It shows that a bit of extra effort at the start pays off.

Of course, tools like good security software and firewalls are still essential. But on their own, they’re not enough. People are your first line of defence.

And right now, your newest people might just be your weakest link. Unless you give them the tools and knowledge to help protect your business from day one.

If you’d like help setting up simple, effective cyber security training for new starters, or want to talk about making your business more secure overall, we can help. Get in touch.