Microsoft 365 may come with backup and recovery capabilities, but there are gaps. Whether it’s ransomware, accidental deletion or a disgruntled employee, if you don’t have a backup solution in place, you’re at serious risk of losing your data. In Microsoft’s Shared Responsibility Model, it’s clear that you are responsible for backing up your M365 data and so finding the right backup solution is key to strengthening any organisation’s cyber security.
What's inside?
The importance of data and backup - Understand the significance of data and why backing it up is integral to any organisation.
Microsoft's Shared Responsibility Model - Learn why you are responsible for your M365 data, not Microsoft.
The consequences of data loss- There's no shortage of ways to lose your data. Data loss is damaging and can lead to financial or legal implications.
Keeping your data backed up- Creating a multi-layered cyber security approach in your organisation is vital. Discover the backup solutions we recommended to organisations.
There is often great debate about creating backups for data in services such as Microsoft 365 Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams. The common assumption amongst many is that Microsoft backsup, so everything is covered.
When explaining that 3rd party backup provides a more holistic, secure safety net for your business, customers often tell me, “you would say that, you want to sell more products!” But there’s usually one response that gets their attention:
“It’s not me saying you need it, Microsoft say it”…
Microsoft’s shared responsibility model firmly puts data in the court of the user. Microsoft have got you covered when it comes to Global Infrastructure, Uptime and Cloud Service. But access and control of data in your M365 tenant? That’s on you.
In an on-premises data centre, you own the whole responsibility stack. As you move to the cloud, some responsibilities transfer to Microsoft. The following Microsoft diagram illustrates the areas of responsibility between you and Microsoft, according to the type of deployment of your stack. Note that your businesses setup, data, devices and accounts & identity remain your responsibility.
Your Responsibilities as a User
As a Microsoft 365 user, you act as the data custodian. Your main task is to ensure that your data is not only accessible but also securely backed up, separate from Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure and ready for recovery whenever necessary. Microsoft actually state this in their Service Agreement under section 6b:
“In the event of an outage or disruption to the Service, you may temporarily not be able to retrieve Your Content. We recommend that you regularly backup Your Content and Data that you store on the Services or store using Third-Party Apps and Services.”
Microsoft Service Agreement, Section 6b
Insights Into the Model’s Roles
Core Responsibilities: Microsoft is tasked with upholding their infrastructure’s integrity, offering reliable cloud service uptime. Meanwhile, your organisation must ensure it has full access and control over its data, an obligation that remains regardless of the decision to use a cloud-based service.
Technological Support: Microsoft 365’s data replication offers a level of redundancy, but this doesn’t equate to a true backup. Remember, the replication services are designed by Microsoft, for Microsoft’s convenience, and might not align with your recovery needs.
Security Measures: Security within Microsoft 365 is a collaborative effort, with Microsoft securing the service infrastructure and users responsible for their data security. This emphasises the importance of a comprehensive approach to protect against a myriad of threats.
Regulatory Compliance: Although Microsoft adheres to strict privacy standards and holds various certifications, the organisation using the service still retains the role of data custodian, complete with the responsibility to comply with legal and industry-specific regulations.
Implications of Ignoring Shared Responsibilities
Dependence on Microsoft for all aspects of data recovery, especially in scenarios like data deletion or security breaches, is risky. Microsoft’s built-in safeguards, such as recycle bins and retention policies, are meant for short-term fixes and may not suffice for comprehensive data recovery strategies.
Statistics reveal a troubling trend: a significant portion of businesses experience data loss or corruption within their SaaS applications, including Microsoft 365. The reality is stark – recovering 100% of data without a dedicated backup solution is often unattainable.
The Solution
Opting to backup Microsoft 365 data with a third party solution such as Acronis safeguards against data loss and cyber threats. Cobweb’s alignment with Acronis for its backup solutions reflects a commitment to delivering advanced, secure, and dependable data protection services, enabling businesses to operate confidently in the knowledge that their cloud data is comprehensively secured.
M365 Backup Webinar
If you’d like to learn more about M365 and backup, we’re hosting a virtual roundtable on the 2nd May with Microsoft MVP Andy Malone and Acronis experts. To sign up, please click here.
The arrival of Microsoft Copilot has brought a new era of productivity and innovation to software development. This AI-powered assistant has the potential to transform how developers write code and streamline the development process. However, while the excitement around Copilot is palpable, it is crucial to temper that enthusiasm with careful planning and a robust data strategy.
Why Plan for Microsoft Copilot?
Data Consumption and Interrogation
Microsoft Copilot is designed to be a powerful assistant, but it needs access to data to be effective. Ensuring that your company data resides within Microsoft 365 is essential. This enables Copilot to consume and interrogate the data efficiently, allowing it to provide more accurate suggestions.
Cobweb can help you migrate your data to Microsoft 365 seamlessly. We offer expert services in data migration, ensuring that your valuable information is stored securely and accessible for Copilot’s use.
Understanding Existing Data, Permissions, and Access
Before integrating Microsoft Copilot into your Microsoft environment, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your existing data, permissions, and access controls. Copilot’s effectiveness depends on having the right data at its disposal, and a deep understanding of your data landscape is crucial.
Cobweb’s expertise in Microsoft 365 can help you gain insights into your data structure. We can assist in conducting data audits, helping you identify and classify data that Copilot should prioritise. This ensures that Copilot is equipped with the most relevant information to assist your developers effectively.
Data Protection with Sensitivity Labels
Microsoft recommends using sensitivity labels to add an extra layer of protection to confidential data. Sensitivity labels ensure that only authorised personnel can access and view sensitive information. Integrating sensitivity labels into your data strategy is crucial, especially when Copilot is dealing with proprietary code or sensitive data.
Cobweb can assist in implementing sensitivity labels across your Microsoft 365 environment. We can help you define policies and permissions, ensuring that confidential data remains protected, even as Copilot interacts with it.
Secure User Access with Conditional Access and MFA
Security should always be a top priority when implementing new tools like Copilot. Microsoft’s Conditional Access and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) are essential components of a robust security strategy. These features help ensure that only authorised users can access your organisation’s resources.
At Cobweb, we specialise in security solutions for Microsoft 365, by helping you configure and implement Conditional Access policies and MFA. This adds an additional layer of protection to your data and Copilot interactions.
Secure Devices and Keep Software Updated
To maximise Copilot’s capabilities, it’s important to have a standardised and secure device environment. Microsoft recommends Windows 11 as the preferred operating system for Copilot, although support for Windows 10 is being enabled in select markets. Ensuring that your devices are secure and up to date is essential for a smooth Copilot experience.
Cobweb can assist in device management and software updates, helping you maintain a secure and compatible environment for Copilot.
Know your Usage Requirements
Being specific in your needs and goals when using Copilot is essential for maximising its effectiveness and ensuring a successful integration into your business operations. Copilot is a powerful AI tool, but its capabilities are not limitless, and it operates within defined parameters. To make the most of Copilot, you need to clearly understand what tasks it can automate and what tasks it cannot. By identifying the specific business units where you want to deploy Copilot, you can tailor its usage to suit the unique needs of each department, optimising its impact.
By ensuring your company data is well-organised, protected, and accessible, you can harness the full potential of Microsoft Copilot while safeguarding your organisation’s valuable assets. So, as you embark on your Copilot journey, remember that a solid data strategy and a partner like Cobweb can make all the difference in your success.
Download our Copilot e-book here for more information.
In a regular workday, where we can receive hundreds of emails, it can sometimes be difficult to know which ones are legitimate and malicious. Especially when our schedules are full.
Getting an anti-virus or anti-phishing solution is of course essential in the business world these days. A ransomware attack can cost you thousands per day (check out how much you could lose here). But of course, that doesn’t stop a few slipping through the net and into our inboxes, which is why your first line of defence when it comes to cyber attacks, are your employees.
The automatic trigger response
The psychology used within these threats is pretty disturbing. Hackers know that a well-crafted email, seemingly from a trusted ‘HR/IT/Manager,’ can trigger an automatic, almost reflexive response, especially if it has ‘urgent’ in the title. In fact, more than 90% of security breaches involve an error by an employee. Whether it’s forgetting to check an email domain, downloading unverified attachments or opening a URL from an external source, it can be pretty difficult to remind ourselves to double check things in the moment. So how can we change our engrained email habits to become more secure?
What’s the solution?
The answer lies in awareness through regular interactive training. Addressing cyber threats effectively requires a shift in behavioural patterns, so relying solely on an annual presentation is often not enough. Interactive training like KnowBe4, engages you and your team to respond to cyber threats. Through a library of content including modules, videos, newsletters and games, you can foster a stronger security culture within your business. The ability to forget is also off the cards as regular reminder emails are sent. The best part? With KnowBe4, you can simulate personalised phishing attacks, directly targeting your employees’ inboxes, so you can see the results!
Safeguarding against cyber threats is as much about building a resilient culture as it is about using the right tools. Encouraging a mindset where caution comes before curiosity can make all the difference.
If you’re in a leadership position such as an Owner, CTO, CFO or IT manager, who believes in empowering your team, consider exploring interactive platforms such as KnowBe4 to change your employees’ email habits. Look for solutions that are known for their effectiveness without disrupting the flow of your operations. At Cobweb, we’re known for helping businesses start or continue their cyber security journey. With a multitude of solutions (KnowBe4 just being one), we tailor ourselves to your organisation so that together we can meet your unique security goals. For more advice or information, get in touch with one of our experts here.
The start of a new year is often seen to be a time for reflection and setting goals. It’s also a time when social media is flooded with posts about new year’s resolutions and the iconic saying of ‘new year, new me’. Unfortunately, while there seems to be no harm in this, it can be easy to forget how effortlessly cyber criminals can take advantage of people’s eagerness to share their personal information online.
We now live in a world where everything is posted to social media. Social engineering is a type of cybercrime that involves psychological manipulation, getting you to hand over confidential information online. And what do these cyber criminals use as their prime source to ‘get to know you’? Social media. So remind yourself and your colleagues when they’re writing up their next LinkedIn caption or post their next job promotion, to think carefully about the information displayed and how it could be used against them.
For businesses, social engineering attacks can be particularly devastating. A single successful attack can result in the loss of sensitive data, financial loss, and damage to the company’s reputation, resulting in customer mistrust.
So how can businesses protect themselves from social engineering attacks?
1. Educate your employees.
Make sure your employees are aware of the risks of social engineering attacks and how to identify them. Provide regular training sessions to keep them up to date on the latest threats. More often than not, interactive training software retains information far better than a 20-minute presentation.
2. Monitor your accounts.
Regularly monitor your social media accounts for suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, investigate it immediately.
3. Limit access to sensitive information.
Be careful about what information you share on social media. Do not post sensitive information such as financial data, trade secrets, or customer information.
4. Switch to private.
Whichever social media platform you are on, most will have settings to privatise certain parts of your account. This acts as a barrier to cyber attackers gaining huge amounts of information.
5. Use strong passwords.
Many employees sign into their social media accounts such as LinkedIn on a work device. Make sure your employees use strong, unique passwords here to decrease the chances of their account becoming hacked. Using a password manager helps to keep track of all the complex passwords they (now don’t) need to remember!
As a business owner or IT manager, it’s crucial to remind your colleagues and employees of the dangers of social engineering. With the start of a new year, it’s an ideal time to make positive changes and step up your online security. While anti-virus and anti-phishing software are essential, your employees are pretty much your first line of defence. Unfortunately, according to email security provider Mimecast, more than 90% of security breaches involve an error by an employee, making it vital to keep them aware of the increasing cyber threats.
Our interactive training software, KnowBe4, provides non-intrusive, regular training to change behaviour and help employees retain information, keeping them up-to-date on the latest threats. Let’s face it, hour-long presentations aren’t going to keep your employees’ attention for long! Reach out to us today to see how we can help your business’s first line of defence – your people.
Is it time to re-evaluate your Managed Service Provider’s (MSP) effectiveness?
While changing MSPs might seem like a hassle, a poor relationship or lack of two-way communication with your provider can lead to bigger issues down the road, including cyber security vulnerabilities.
Here are 5 warning signs that suggest your company needs a new MSP:
They’re a one timer
An MSP should do what it says in the name – manage. This means frequently assessing and recommending improvements to your IT infrastructure. It should not just be a one-time job, just as it is not a one size fits all approach. Building a relationship with your MSP based on trust and frequent communication ensures a better understanding and personalised service for your business.
Unreliable customer service
What’s one of the main reasons a company will go to use an MSP? The expertise and skill they provide. If your current MSP doesn’t meet it’s SLA (Service Level Agreement), or is slow responding to queries raised, it’s a clear indicator that you may be better served elsewhere.
They are a supplier, not a partner
Your MSP should not merely offer basic licensing and support. Instead, they should act as a strategic partner and advisor, guiding you in mapping out future services and solutions, enabling effective budgeting and long-term strategic planning.
They lack transparency
Transparency is crucial in any MSP-client relationship. Your SLA should clearly outline:
The services
Monthly charges
Agreement limitations
Customer service options
The last thing you want is a surprise invoice or bill! Moreover, If you don’t understand some of the technical jargon used in the contact, your MSP should attend to this matter and never force you to sign into a contract which you don’t understand.
They don’t do their research
An effective MSP stays up-to-date with IT infrastructure and your company’s needs. Do you always find out the latest industry news, price increases and new offerings from your MSP? They should be there to guide you on industry changes to make sure you can plan and budget your IT roadmap.
If you’re not receiving this support and advise, it might be time for a change.
Don’t let your business be short-changed. At Cobweb, we offer highly personalised and flexible managed service options, empowering you to focus on innovation while we handle the rest. Book a free consultation with our experts to discover the right fit for your needs. Your success is our priority.
Navigating the fast-paced evolution of the IT landscape can be daunting for any IT team, often diverting their attention from core responsibilities. Amid juggling various internal roles, certain critical IT operations may unintentionally be overlooked.
So which IT processes in your business could be being missed out?
Meeting Strategic Objectives
Aligning IT with business strategic initiatives is crucial for ensuring that technology is being leveraged effectively to achieve organisational goals. This can drive productivity, enhance customer experience, and provide a competitive edge. Having time for regular training ensures the IT team understands business processes, while key performance indicators help measure alignment. Effective change management processes and an emphasis on innovation further ensure that IT initiatives not only support but also drive business goals. By removing the mundane tasks, businesses can accelerate the rate they are able to work towards these objectives.
Vulnerability Assessments
As cyber attacks persistently threaten businesses, frequent vulnerability assessments are vital to identify software flaws and potential risk factors. In fact, 97% of IT decision makers moved to a manged service due to being a target of phishing attacks. Vulnerability assessments should be second nature to your IT team, ensuring your business remains one step ahead of these potential attackers. However, faced with an abundance of responsibilities, consistently managing these assessments can become increasingly challenging.
Patching
Patching is one of those jobs a lot of technicians think about as ‘I’ll just do that later’. And that may be because the flaw in the system isn’t seen as that serious, or there are more pressing needs elsewhere. But fixing these flaws may be the only barrier in the way between your business and a large data breach. It should never be left as a ‘later’ job as it could leave you and your business at serious risk.
If any of these processes are being overlooked due to overwhelming workloads in your business, it might be time to consider a Managed Service Provider (MSP). At Cobweb, we prioritise making our customers’ lives easier by offering comprehensive solutions:
Expert Talent at Your Service: No need to expand budgets or hire new IT members; our team has all the expertise you require.
Proactive Vulnerability Assessments: We constantly monitor your systems, recommend improvements, and implement measures to keep attackers at bay.
Patching Made Simple: Your workstation, server, and security appliances receive regular patching, minimising security risks.
Staying Ahead of Technology: We keep up to date with the latest technology and implement it into your systems.
Focus on Innovation: With Cobweb managing your tech systems, you’ll have ample time to focus on your business’s innovation. Simply put, we are just an extension of your team!
If your IT team is stretched thin, there’s a viable solution. Get in touch with our team today for a free consultation, and let’s tailor Managed Service options to suit your unique needs. Your IT team might lack time, but a feasible solution is within reach!
Find out more about our Award-Winning Managed Services
In the face of IT challenges and risks that frequently plague SMBs, reactive solutions often fall short of meeting immediate needs. Recognising this limitation, businesses are now shifting their focus to the future of IT solutions: partnering with a Managed Service Provider (MSP).
The competitive edge
Much like any essential business expense, an MSP operates on a subscription model, offering continuous remote management and monitoring of IT systems, often coupled with 24/7 support. This modern approach to IT is reshaping the business landscape, evolving into a strategic partnership—an extension of your team. By alleviating in-house costs, driving growth, mitigating security vulnerabilities, and reducing downtime, MSPs empower you to concentrate on your core business activities.
As the business world navigates a tech-driven era, the adoption of hybrid technologies is becoming ever-present. Cloud-based software, in particular, has become the lifeblood of many operations, requiring ongoing maintenance. The lessons learned from the pandemic in particular highlighted to us all the essentialism of technology. It urged us to embrace software updates proactively to stay competitive, safeguard our cyber environment, and ensure data confidentiality.
Locking your cyber doors
Yet, robust cybersecurity still remains a diverse challenge to many businesses, which is one reason as to why 90% of IT and Business leaders are considering moving to a managed service. MSPs pave the way to the future, guiding businesses through the complexities of compliance and GDPR regulations. With cyber threats on the rise and data protection becoming a greater responsibility, businesses need a strong line of defence. Collaborating with an MSP lightens this load, allowing them to shoulder the responsibility while you channel your efforts into innovation.
Staying ahead
The role of IT infrastructure is rapidly evolving, and those who fail to adapt may risk falling behind. The ability to attract new business may hinge on how well a company aligns with these changes. The integration of an MSP streamlines operations, enhancing customer experiences and service quality, setting the stage for sustainable success.
Embrace the opportunities of tomorrow—contact Cobweb today for a complimentary consultation. Discover how our Managed Service can be your launchpad into the future of IT solutions!
To help you get to grips with all that Teams has to offer, we’ve created a how-to guide with steps and screenshots so that you can setup Teams successfully and easily.
What's inside?
Being able to communicate easily and still have access to all your files and data is absolutely vital to remote working successfully. Microsoft Teams has incredible functionality that allows you and your employees to work together through chat, online meetings, document collaboration, file sharing and phone calls — from any device.
In the guide, you'll discover:
An Introduction to Teams Phone - Get to know Microsoft's new telephony solution, built within Microsoft Teams
How Teams Phone supports a hybrid-working setup - Understand how you can make and take calls wherever you decide to work
The features you can expect - Get to know the calling and administration features you'll find within the platform
Last time I wrote about how Reservations can be used to save money by trading the flexibility of Azure’s pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing model by committing to that resource being deployed and running for a fixed term. I focused on Reserved Instances (RIs), which can reduce the cost of the compute component of an Azure VM. This time I want to focus on Azure Hybrid Benefit as an additional way to save money in Azure.
When a VM gets deployed in Azure, depending on which Operating System (OS) is chosen, the VM may cause more than one PAYG meter to tick up. Windows VMs and some Linux VMs have chargeable licenses and if SQL Server is installed on the VM, that license is chargeable too. All of these licenses will cause the relevant PAYG meters to tick up.
Just as RIs can be applied to stop the compute meter, Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB) can be enabled to stop the OS and SQL Server meters. Unlike RIs, Azure does not manage the assignment of licenses for you – AHB must be enabled on each specific VM and the license cannot readily move from one VM to another.
AHB requires you to have unused licenses available and that those licenses meet certain eligibility requirements, so do check to ensure your licenses are valid if you plan to use AHB. One way to ensure your licenses are eligible is to purchase them through Cobweb via CSP Software Subscriptions. Licenses can be purchased for a 1- or 3-year term and have the equivalent benefits of Software Assurance. While they can be used in Azure, they can also be used for your on-premises servers, and Microsoft even allows the same license to be used twice at the same time (once on-premises and once in Azure) for up to 180 days for the purposes of migrating servers into Azure.
There are several factors that determine how much you can save when using AHB, but in general, the best savings will be made against VMs that are running 24/7, because the license meters only tick up when the VM is running. A 3-year term offers bigger equivalent monthly savings over a 1-year term and the size and family of the Azure VM will also impact the savings that can be made.
Microsoft licensing can be complex and the rules around AHB are no exception, but I will try to simplify it. For Windows Server Standard, Microsoft stipulates a minimum of 16-cores must be licensed per physical on-premises server, but that covers two instances of Windows running as VMs on that physical server. When that 16-core license is instead used with AHB, Microsoft allows it to be assigned to a single Azure VM of up to 16 vCPUs or two Azure VMs of up to 8 vCPUs each.
This means that the Windows license cost when using AHB for an 8 vCPU VM in Azure is the same price as for a 1 vCPU VM. Contrast that with PAYG licensing which is charged per vCPU that the VM has and you’ll see that bigger savings can be made over PAYG with bigger VMs that have more vCPUs – two 8 vCPU VMs using 3-year term licenses may break even after just a few months!
Due to the way SQL Server is licensed, the rules are different. There are several editions to choose from and the biggest savings usually come from highly available deployments or where disaster recovery has been configured. SQL licenses aren’t just for VM-based SQL either, they can also be assigned to other SQL services in Azure, such as Single or Elastic SQL Databases or SQL Managed Instances.
In most cases using Software Subscriptions will save money over PAYG, but it’s worth checking how big those savings will be and Cobweb can assist you with this.
Next time I will be rounding out this series of articles by covering more of the ways to save money in Azure that don’t quite deserve their own article, but are still useful to know.
Meeting Strategic Objectives
Vulnerability Assessments
Patching
Expert Talent at Your Service: No need to expand budgets or hire new IT members; our team has all the expertise you require.
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