Comprendo

04/11/2026

🛍️ Black Friday is approaching – and it's not just shoppers looking for a bargain!

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just around the corner, inboxes will soon be filling up with special offers, order confirmations and delivery notifications.

Unfortunately, cybercriminals know this too.

🎣 Phishing emails can be particularly convincing during busy shopping periods, with fake discounts, delivery updates and payment requests designed to trick users into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information.

Here are 5 simple ways to avoid falling for a Black Friday phishing scam:

📧 1. Check who's sending the email
A familiar company name doesn't always mean an email is genuine. Check the sender's email address carefully, particularly if the message is unexpected.

🔗 2. Think before clicking
Be cautious of links advertising unbelievable discounts or asking you to urgently confirm your details. If you're unsure, visit the retailer's website directly rather than following the link.

📦 3. Watch out for fake delivery notifications
Scammers often impersonate delivery companies, claiming a parcel is delayed or that a small payment is required. Always verify delivery information through the official website or app.

🔑 4. Never share passwords or verification codes
Legitimate retailers and delivery companies won't ask you to disclose your account passwords or MFA codes by email.

🚨 5. Don't let urgency influence your decisions
Messages claiming an offer is about to expire or your account will be suspended are designed to make you act without thinking. Take a moment to verify before responding.

Remember, phishing doesn't stop at your personal inbox.

Employees may receive these messages through their work email accounts, potentially putting company systems and sensitive business information at risk.

At Comprendo, we help businesses protect their users with advanced email filtering, phishing awareness training and security measures designed to stop threats before they become problems.

Want to make sure your business isn't giving cybercriminals a Black Friday bargain? Get in touch to find out how we can help strengthen your email security.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

21/10/2026

💻 What happens if a company laptop is lost or stolen?

A lost laptop isn't just an inconvenience or the cost of replacing a device – it could also mean company files, emails and sensitive customer information falling into the wrong hands.

🔐 As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we're sharing practical tips throughout October to help businesses strengthen their security and reduce everyday risks.

Here are 5 ways to protect your business if a company device goes missing:

🔒 1. Enable device encryption
Tools such as BitLocker can encrypt the data stored on company laptops, helping prevent unauthorised access even if someone removes the hard drive.

🔑 2. Secure accounts with MFA
Multi-Factor Authentication adds an extra layer of protection to company accounts, making it harder for someone to access business systems using stolen credentials.

💻 3. Use centralised device management
Solutions such as Microsoft Intune allow IT administrators to manage company devices remotely, enforce security policies and take action when a device is lost or stolen.

🚨 4. Have the ability to remotely wipe devices
If a laptop goes missing, having the ability to remotely wipe company data can help prevent sensitive information from being accessed. This is particularly important for businesses with remote or mobile employees.

👤 5. Have a clear process for reporting lost devices
Employees should know exactly who to contact if a device goes missing. The sooner your IT team knows, the sooner they can secure accounts, revoke access and take appropriate action.

Losing a laptop shouldn't mean losing control of your company data.

At Comprendo, we can help businesses implement the tools and security policies needed to protect company devices, while managing the security behind the scenes.

From encryption and device management to remote wiping and account protection, we can help ensure your business is prepared before something goes wrong.

Not sure how well your company devices are protected? Get in touch for a comprehensive cybersecurity review and a plan tailored to your business.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

07/10/2026

👥 Users are one of the most important lines of defence when it comes to your company's cybersecurity. They're using your systems, accessing company data and receiving emails every day – which also makes them a common target for cyber threats.

🔐 As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we're sharing practical tips throughout October to help businesses strengthen their security..

The good news? There are some straightforward ways to reduce the risk.

🎓 1. Cybersecurity awareness training
Regular training helps employees recognise phishing emails, suspicious links and other common threats, helping them make safer decisions when something doesn't look quite right.

📧 2. Clearly flag external emails
Adding warnings to emails originating outside your organisation gives users an immediate visual reminder to be cautious with unexpected messages, links and attachments.

🔑 3. Make good password management easier
Password managers can generate and securely store strong, unique passwords, removing the need for easy-to-remember passwords and making regular password changes much easier.

👋 4. Have a secure onboarding and offboarding process
New starters should receive only the access they need, while accounts, sessions and company devices should be properly secured when somebody leaves the business.

🔒 5. Control access to company data
Regularly review who has access to files, mailboxes and systems. As employees change roles, old permissions can easily remain in place long after they're needed.

Cybersecurity isn't just about the technology you use – it's also about giving your people the tools, processes and knowledge to use it securely.

Here at Comprendo, we can help give your users the tools and knowledge they need to protect your business on the front line, while we take care of the security and IT working behind the scenes.

Want to know where the gaps might be in your business? Get in touch for a comprehensive cybersecurity review and a plan tailored to your organisation.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

28/09/2026

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing some simple, practical tips to help businesses improve their cybersecurity and make sure the basics are covered.

From MFA and email security to backups, device protection and staff awareness, there are plenty of straightforward steps that can make a real difference.

Not sure where your business currently stands?

Get in touch with Comprendo for a comprehensive review and a cybersecurity plan tailored to your business.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

23/09/2026

📈 5 signs your business may have outgrown its IT setup

Most businesses don't design their entire IT infrastructure on day one.

You start with a few people, a handful of laptops and Microsoft 365. The company grows, more people join, new systems are introduced — and the IT setup that worked perfectly well at the beginning gets stretched further and further.

So, how do you know when it's time for a rethink?

🔄 1. You're fixing the same problems repeatedly

Wi-Fi issues, slow computers, email problems or other recurring faults shouldn't simply become part of the working week. Sometimes repeatedly fixing the symptoms costs more than addressing the underlying problem.

👤 2. Setting up a new employee is a project in itself

Creating accounts, configuring laptops, installing applications and setting permissions shouldn't take hours of manual work every time someone joins.

🔑 3. You're not completely sure who has access to what

As employees join, leave and change roles, permissions can quickly become messy. Knowing exactly who has access to your company data is both an IT and security issue.

🔐 4. Your security hasn't grown with your business

More employees, devices and data means more to protect. MFA, encryption, backups, device management and appropriate security policies should grow alongside your organisation.

🚨 5. IT only gets attention when something breaks

If updates, backups, security and general IT maintenance only get looked at after there's a problem, it may be time to move from reactive fixes to a more proactive approach.

Your IT should make it easier for your business to grow — not become another obstacle to it.

If your business has grown but your IT hasn't kept pace, we can help you review what you have, identify where it could be improved and find an approach that suits your business.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

16/09/2026

💻 Professional IT support without the cost of a full-time IT department.

Not every business needs an IT technician on the payroll — and not every business wants to commit to a monthly IT support contract.

At Comprendo, we offer flexible IT support that lets you choose the level of cover that makes financial sense for your business.

⏱️ Purchase support time in advance – use your IT support as and when you need it, giving you access to experienced help without an ongoing commitment.

💷 No monthly retainer for small businesses – get professional IT support when you need it without adding another regular monthly cost to your business.

🔧 Need a more proactive approach? – for larger businesses, growing teams or organisations with greater security and compliance requirements, we also offer ongoing maintenance and support contracts tailored to your needs.

👨‍💻 Over 50 years of combined IT experience – our team's knowledge and experience is available when you need it, without having to recruit and employ an in-house IT specialist.

📈 Manage your IT without paying another salary – get access to experienced IT professionals while keeping your IT costs flexible and predictable.

Whether it's troubleshooting an issue, setting up new equipment, Microsoft 365, cybersecurity, networking or simply having someone knowledgeable to call when something goes wrong, we're here when you need us.

Need IT support, but don't need a full-time IT department? Get in touch and find out which support option would work best for your business.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

16/09/2026

📣 Cross Hills Networking – Summer 2026!

You’re invited to an enjoyable couple of hours of local business networking!

📅 Thursday 17th September 2026: 7.45 – 9.30am
📍 Macaulay & Co, 28 Main Street, Cross Hills

Join - Macaulay & Co. for their next quarterly Networking Event.

💡 It’s a great opportunity for our thriving local business community to get together, make new connections and share ideas over coffee and a croissant!

All local businesses are welcome. If you’ve attended before, you’ll be on the mailing list and will receive your reminder shortly. If this will be your first time joining, please indicate your interest in the comments and send your email address to:

📧 [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there! 😊

04/09/2026

Still paying for hours of IT time every time you buy a new laptop?

For SMEs, Microsoft Intune + Windows Autopilot can make deploying and managing company devices faster, simpler and more cost-effective.

Instead of your IT provider manually configuring every new PC, Autopilot allows devices to be prepared automatically using your organisation’s policies and applications.

⚡ Less setup time – users can sign in and let Autopilot handle much of the configuration automatically.

💷 Lower support costs – fewer engineering hours spent manually setting up, rebuilding and configuring PCs.

🔐 Consistent security – Intune can automatically apply security policies, encryption requirements, applications and configuration across your devices.

🔒 Protect lost or stolen devices – if a company laptop or mobile device goes missing, Intune gives your IT team the ability to remotely lock, retire or wipe managed devices, helping protect company data without needing physical access to the device.

🌍 Ideal for remote and hybrid teams – devices can be deployed, secured and managed wherever your employees are working.

☁️ Already using Microsoft 365? You already have the Microsoft platform and user accounts in place. Intune and Autopilot can build on that existing environment, making modern device management a natural next step for your business.

For SMEs paying an IT support company for setup and engineering time, reducing the manual work involved in every new device can quickly make Intune and Autopilot a cost-effective investment.

Modern device management isn't just for large enterprises — it can save smaller businesses time, money and a lot of IT admin.

Want to spend less time and money setting up devices while improving your business security? Get in touch to find out how Intune and Autopilot could work for your business.

📧 [email protected]
📞 0345 527 4394

29/06/2026

⏱️What can actually be fixed in 2 hours of IT time?

Quite a lot, as it turns out!

We offer businesses a complimentary 2-hour IT & cyber security consultation, and many people assume it’s just a chat.

💡In reality, we often fix or improve several things on the spot.
Here are real examples of what can often be done in that time:

🔐 Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
One of the biggest security improvements a business can make in minutes - protecting email, Microsoft 365, remote access, and admin accounts.

🔑 Secure risky or shared logins
Identify accounts that shouldn’t exist, remove shared passwords, and tighten admin access.

🛡 Check antivirus / endpoint protection
Confirm it’s installed, active, and actually protecting all devices.

🔥 Review firewall basics
Ensure basic protections are in place and identify obvious risks.

💾 Check backup status
Confirm backups are running and explain how recovery would work if the worst happened.

🔄 Check software patching & updates
Outdated software is one of the easiest ways attackers get in.

📂 Review permissions and access
Make sure staff only have access to what they actually need.

📊 Highlight quick security wins
Often we identify simple improvements that dramatically reduce risk.

✅ For small businesses, these two hours can remove several common vulnerabilities.

✅ For larger organisations, the session often becomes a mini security audit or Cyber Essentials readiness review.

Either way, the goal is simple:
👉 Leave the business more secure than when we arrived.

>> If you'd like to use our free 2-hour consultation, comment below and we’ll be delighted to arrange a time.

You can also learn more about what's involved in our latest blog:

https://comprendo.co.uk/free-2-hour-it-cyber-security-consultation/

Sometimes two hours of preventative work can save days, weeks, or even a business!

Most SMEs appreciate how important their IT and cyber security to their business operations, but they often delay reviewing their systems because of concerns

22/06/2026

⚠️ Fortinet firewalls and VPN gateways were last week targeted in a credential-harvesting campaign referred to as Fortibleed.

The attack is said to have affected over 70,000 firewalls, including those of major global corporations.

✅ This is the latest cyber-attack to be handled and successfully avoided by our expert, proactive team at Comprendo, with all firewalls locked down in line with Cyber Essentials recommendations.

>> If you're unsure how protected your business is online, book your free security audit here:📧 [email protected]

🔒 And if you'd like to find out more about Cyber Essentials Certification, we'd be very happy to help.