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ACT Systems

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ACT Systems

IT Support For Ambitious Businesses Businesses today are totally dependent on technology to connect with employees, suppliers and customers.

Having the right IT solution for your business has never been so important. If your IT systems are not right for you, your business cannot function. ACT Systems works with its clients to provide the right infrastructure and support to facilitate growing companies. We work with businesses who are determined to be the best in their market and who recognise that IT support plays an important role in helping them achieve their ambitions. We can work with any type of business but we have particular expertise in a number of key growth sectors. We add case studies continually so that you can view current, recently completed projects. If you contact us now, we will be able to tell you about live projects in your industry. For new enquiries & customer services call us on 01189 870 070 (Local Rate number) and +44 (0) 1189 870 070 (for international calls)

For technical support call us on 01189 870 075 (Local Rate number) and +44 (0) 1189 875 140 (for international calls): Support Opening: Mon to Friday 8am – 5.30pm

30/10/2026

🪦 Welcome to the Cybersecurity Graveyard...

Here lie some IT habits we definitely don’t want coming back from the dead:

💀 Weak passwords
💀 No multi-factor authentication
💀 Unpatched devices
💀 Untested backups
💀 Outdated software

Forget ghosts, zombies and things that go bump in the night. Sometimes the truly scary stuff is sitting quietly inside your IT environment. 👀

That update you keep putting off?
That old software nobody wants to touch?
That backup nobody has actually tested?

Now that’s scary. 😱

This Halloween, don’t let bad IT habits come back to haunt your business.

🔐 Good IT should protect your business, not give you nightmares.

🎃 Happy Halloween from ACT Systems!

27/10/2026

🔐 Does better cybersecurity really have to mean more complexity?

For many SMEs, the problem isn’t understanding that cybersecurity matters.

It is everything that comes with it. More tools. More alerts. More technical jargon. And sometimes, more uncertainty about what actually needs attention.

Smaller businesses want advanced protection, but they also need it to be simple, manageable and supported by experts who can explain what actually matters.

And honestly, that is how cybersecurity should be.

You shouldn’t need to become a cybersecurity expert to feel confident that your business is protected.

Good cybersecurity should reduce the noise, help you understand the real risks and give you clear guidance when something needs attention.

Because ultimately, cybersecurity should give your business confidence, not create another problem to manage.

👉 Read the full article: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/business-security/quest-simplicity-why-smbs-want-advanced-protection-without-complexity/

Want a simple, practical starting point for protecting your own business?

📘 Download ACT Systems’ Cybersecurity Survival Guide: https://cybermistakes.actsystems.co.uk/cybersecurity-survival-guide-ebook

Strong cybersecurity can be sophisticated behind the scenes without being complicated for you.

20/10/2026

Are the days of posting AI content without anyone knowing coming to an end?

Anthropic is adding an invisible watermark to text written by new Claude models.

You won't see the watermark. It is created through patterns in the words Claude chooses, so copying the answer into Word, an email or a website won't remove it. Some editing may leave the mark intact too.

Anthropic plans to provide tools that can estimate whether Claude helped write a piece of text.

Those tools cannot identify the person who used Claude, show what they asked or tell how much of the finished document was written by them.

A document may carry the watermark even if Claude was only used to rewrite part of it.

Businesses can keep using Claude for drafts and editing, but staff should know that its involvement may be detectable. Anything sent to a client or published under the company name still needs to be checked for accuracy.

15/10/2026

13 October 2026 is the end of support date for Office 2021.

After that date, Word, Excel and Outlook will continue to open, but Microsoft will stop providing security updates, bug fixes and technical support.

Because the software keeps working, it can remain on company computers for months or years after support ends.

Any new security problems found in Office 2021 may be left unfixed.

12/10/2026

Windows Server 2016 End of Support: Is Your Business Ready?

Microsoft support for Windows Server 2016 will end on 12 January 2027. After this date, servers running Windows Server 2016 will no longer receive standard security updates or technical support from Microsoft.

While that may seem a long way off, planning early can help avoid security risks, compliance concerns, and unexpected upgrade costs.

At ACT Systems, we are reviewing customer environments to identify any servers that may be affected. Where Windows Server 2016 is in use, we'll work with you to assess your options and create a practical migration plan that aligns with your business requirements.

Possible next steps may include:
✅ Upgrading to a supported version of Windows Server
✅ Migrating workloads to Microsoft Azure or other cloud platforms
✅ Replacing ageing infrastructure
✅ Reviewing alternative solutions to improve security and performance

No immediate action is required, but early preparation can make the transition smoother and more cost-effective.

09/10/2026

Some free VPNs make money by letting other people send traffic through your internet connection.

Google recently took down a large network that used devices running apps advertised as free VPNs.

While the VPN worked, the app also allowed other customers' internet traffic to pass through the device.

On a work laptop, that traffic would appear to come from your company's public IP address. Your IP could get blocked because of activity nobody in the business carried out.

Google also found that some of this software could expose other devices on the same network.

Check which VPNs and browser extensions are installed on company devices. Staff should use the VPN provided by the business, not one they found online because it was free.

Want to know whether unapproved VPNs or proxy software are installed on your company devices? Reach out and we can check for you.

06/10/2026

Don't trust hotel Wi-Fi. It can be compromised even when you've joined the correct network.

Microsoft has found attackers taking control of the systems used for Wi-Fi login pages at hotels and conference venues.

Once the login system has been compromised, guests can be redirected to a fake Microsoft 365 sign-in page or shown a fake browser update that installs malware.

The timing makes the request believable. You've just connected, the hotel page opens and it says an update is needed before you can continue.

Checking the network name with reception won't help because the hotel's real Wi-Fi is involved.

Use your phone's hotspot for work whenever possible. If you have to use hotel Wi-Fi, never enter your work password into the hotel registration page.

And if the page asks you to download an update, certificate or security tool, disconnect. Joining Wi-Fi shouldn't require you to install anything.

05/10/2026

🚨 Hackers don't break in. They log in.

The majority of cyberattacks don't start with advanced hacking.

They start with:
❌ A weak password
❌ A phishing email
❌ One click by one employee

This Cyber Security Awareness Month, make security everyone's responsibility.

✅ Use MFA
✅ Verify before you click
✅ Keep software updated
✅ Train your team regularly

Because prevention costs far less than recovery.

🛡️ Need cybersecurity advice or support? Contact ACT Systems Ltd and let us help keep your business secure.

24/09/2026

🔍 AI is changing the fraud landscape, and not just for high-profile targets.

A recent article from ESET explores how AI-powered OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) is making it easier than ever for cybercriminals to gather and analyse publicly available information.

With AI automating the collection and analysis of data from social media, professional profiles, websites, and other public sources, anyone with a digital footprint can become a target for increasingly sophisticated scams.

The key takeaway is clear: cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting systems and devices. It is also about understanding what information is shared online and how it can be used to build detailed profiles for social engineering and fraud.

As AI capabilities continue to evolve, awareness and digital vigilance are becoming more important than ever.

📖 Read the full article from ESET: https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/privacy/ai-powered-osint-why-everyone-viable-target-fraud/

21/09/2026

Soon, some of the calls coming into your business won't be from a real person.

Google has started giving people AI assistants that ring businesses for them. The assistant will call a shop to check if something's in stock, book an appointment, or ask about a price.

For now this is mostly a consumer thing, and it's early. But if a lot of your business comes in over the phone, it's worth knowing about.

Tell your team some callers will be AI, not people. And whatever they say on a call can be recorded, so it pays to be accurate about prices, opening hours and what you've got available.

There's a good side to this too. You can use the same kind of assistant for the dull calls you'd rather not make, like chasing a supplier or waiting on hold.

Address

Unit 4 Diddenham Court, Lambwood Hill, Grazeley
Reading
RG71JQ

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8am - 5:30pm
Friday	8am - 5:30pm

Website

https://www.actsystems.co.uk/

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