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07/03/2026

In May 2026, Microsoft confirmed that hackers are actively breaking into on-premise Exchange servers using a flaw called CVE-2026-42897.

The attack is simple. A hacker sends a normal-looking email to someone on your team. They open it in the browser version of Outlook. Hidden code in the email runs. The hacker is now inside your network. Your employee doesn't have to click anything. Just reading the email is enough.

It hits Exchange 2016, 2019, and Subscription Edition. The cloud version (Exchange Online in Microsoft 365) is safe. CISA gave federal agencies until May 29, 2026 to patch this, which tells you how serious it is.

If you don't know whether your business runs Exchange on a server in your office or in Microsoft's cloud, ask your IT person today. If the answer is on-prem, install Microsoft's May 2026 update and turn on Exchange Emergency Mitigation Service (EMS) until the update is fully done. If you've been putting off the move to the cloud, this is your reason to do it now.

Your email server is the front door to your business. Right now thousands of them are unlocked.

CVE-2026-42897 is exploited in on-prem Exchange; crafted emails enable spoofing, forcing urgent mitigation.

07/03/2026

A call can sound like the owner and still be fake.

AI voice cloning is getting good enough that businesses need a simple rule before money moves: no code, no money.

Wire transfers, vendor banking changes, payroll updates, password resets, and urgent gift-card requests should be verified through another channel before anyone acts.

07/02/2026

Saving passwords in Chrome is one of the riskiest habits you could have today.

Chrome stores them in a way that's easy to steal. Anyone who gets onto your computer can pull every saved login in seconds. Malware called infostealers (names like Redline, Lumma, and Vidar) does exactly that. Once it's on a machine, it copies every saved password and sells them online within hours.

The fix takes about 10 minutes. Sign up for a real password manager. 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane all work, and Bitwarden has a free tier that's actually good. Use the built-in import tool to bring in your saved Chrome passwords. Then go into Chrome's settings (Settings > Autofill > Password Manager), delete every saved password, and turn off "Offer to save passwords."

A real password manager costs around $3 a month per user. Chrome's free one could cost you your business.

07/02/2026

A laptop left open for a quick coffee refill is still connected to the business.

Email, files, payroll, CRM, and vendor accounts may all be one device away.

Give your team a simple rule: lock the screen before stepping away.

Then back it up with controls that block unknown USB devices and alert when suspicious software appears.

07/01/2026

Verizon's 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report came out this month, and the patching numbers should worry every small business owner.

The median patch time across all confirmed breaches slipped from 32 days last year to 43 days this year. Only 26% of bugs on CISA's official "fix this now" list got fully patched. Vulnerability exploitation is now the most common way attackers break in, beating credential theft and phishing as the top initial access method.

If you've ever felt your business was too small to be a target, the math says otherwise. Small businesses make up the majority of confirmed cybercrime victims year after year across multiple industry reports.

Three things worth doing this week:
-Pull your patch report. Anything on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list that's been unpatched for over two weeks goes to the top of your list.
-Audit who has admin access on your critical systems. Most hackers don't use fancy exploits. They log in with accounts that have too much access.
-Run a real backup restore test this month. "We have backups" isn't enough. Prove they work.

Forty-three days is plenty of time for a known vulnerability to be exploited. Close that window.

Verizon 2026 DBIR surfaced crucial findings and confirmed already observed trends, such as the rise of third-party involvement in breaches.

07/01/2026

Your team may already be using AI tools to write, summarize, research, or make work faster.

That can be useful.

The risk is when client data, payroll info, contracts, passwords, or private files get pasted into tools without rules.

A simple AI policy should answer: which tools are approved, what data is forbidden, who reviews output, and what can go to a client.

06/30/2026

Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme is challenging the top-tier chips from Apple and Intel. More competition in the processor market means better performance and prices for your next laptop. Is it finally time to upgrade your work machine?

Inside Asus’ featherweight Zenbook A16, Qualcomm's new flagship laptop chip flexes massive multi-core muscle, upgraded graphics, and real momentum against the competition. The benchmarks speak for themselves.

06/30/2026

Most small businesses use cloud tools every day: phones, files, payments, payroll, CRM, email, websites.

The problem is not using the cloud.

The problem is not knowing what breaks when one provider has a bad day.

A simple dependency map answers three things: what stops, what continues, and who gets called.

06/29/2026

The tech job market is shifting as AI impact leads to significant layoffs in 2026. While some roles disappear, new ones are emerging. Is your team learning the skills needed to thrive in an automated world? Start your training journey today.

Q1 2026 was worse for tech layoffs than 2025, 2024

06/29/2026

A fake text from the boss asking for a wire, gift cards, a vendor change, or a password reset can feel more believable than a fake email.

That is the point.

Give your team one business rule: text messages do not approve money, access, payroll, vendor changes, or password resets.

Verify through another channel first.