There’s an interesting disconnect happening in the business world right now. Most IT leaders say data security is their number one concern when upgrading or modernizing systems.Yet only around a third say they feel extremely confident they would pass their next regulatory audit.

When it comes to email, we’ve all been there: your inbox fills up with junk you never asked for, and every now and then, something slips in that looks almost legitimate. That’s where the terms spam and phishing come in. They both land in your inbox, they’re both unwanted, but they’re not the same thing.

There’s a new type of scam doing the rounds… and this one’s a little more convincing than most. It looks like a genuine alert from Microsoft Azure Monitor. It comes from a real Microsoft domain, and it lands in your inbox without being flagged as suspicious. That’s why it’s catching people out.

Creating a passkey is easy. You start by signing in like you normally would. Log into a website or app the same way you always have, usually with your username and password. This is often the last time you’ll need that password. Once you’re signed in, you’ll see an option that says something like “Create a passkey” or “Use a passkey next time.”

Nobody starts a business because they’re excited to read privacy laws. Unless your idea of fun is spending Saturday night with a 100-page PDF and a pot of coffee. But here’s the thing: if your business collects any customer information, names, emails, payment details, even just an IP address, you’re already playing in the world of data privacy laws.

Shadow IT has a way of creeping into environments. A team signs up for a tool to move faster. Someone connects an integration to save time. A department starts using an AI service because it makes their workflow easier. None of it is usually announced, and none of it is intended to cause risk.

When it comes to getting online, one key player makes it all possible: your ISP, or Internet Service Provider. But what exactly is an ISP, and how does it work? Let’s break it down in a way that’s easy to understand and relevant to your business needs.

Let’s start with a question: If you needed a strong password, would you ask AI to generate one for you? It sounds reasonable enough. Tools like ChatGPT and Copilot can write reports, draft emails and even create bits of code. Asking them for a 16-character password packed with symbols and numbers feels like a smart shortcut. But you might want to rethink that. 

A passkey is a newer, safer way to log into your accounts without using a password at all. No memorizing, typing, or guessing. Instead, you log in the same way you unlock your phone; using your face, your fingerprint, or a quick approval on a trusted device.

AI isn’t just for Silicon Valley anymore. It’s quietly becoming one of the most powerful tools for small and mid-sized businesses, even right here in Northeast Ohio. It’s in your inbox, on your website, and maybe even running behind the scenes in the apps you use every day. So how is AI actually changing the way businesses work?

User authentication is a security process that protects your business’s sensitive information by ensuring that only authorized individuals can access certain data or systems. Think of it as a locked door that only the right people have the keys to - without the right key, no entry.

There's a major shift coming to Microsoft 365 this June, and small to medium businesses who rely on the platform for daily operations shouldn't ignore it. Microsoft has already outlined that new capabilities, particularly in device and endpoint management, will be added to core Microsoft 365 plans like E3 and E5.

At Simplex-IT, we talk a lot about relationships. Not just with our clients, but within the broader business community here in Northeast Ohio. Recently, we had the opportunity to connect with Cleveland Cavaliers Small Business Partners during an event hosted at Rocket Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

AI is showing up in more corners of the business, often without much ceremony. Sometimes it’s a new feature inside a platform you already use. Sometimes it’s a team exploring a tool that promises to save time.

Have you ever sent a photo, video, or document from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and noticed the quality looked a little different - or maybe the file arrived zipped up in a folder? That’s Apple’s file compression at work.

OneDrive or SharePoint? They sound similar, right? Both store files in the cloud, both let you access them anywhere. So, why does Microsoft give you two tools that seem to do the same thing? And knowing the difference can save your business from the dreaded ‘Where did we save that file?’ panic.

Are you still running Windows 10 because “it’s fine for now”? We hear that a lot. And to be fair, if you signed up for Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, Windows 10 probably does still feel fine. But that feeling of safety is temporary.

When was the last time you replaced a perfectly usable work computer, simply because it had become slow or unreliable? For a lot of businesses, that moment is coming sooner than it used to. Hardware prices have risen, upgrades cost more, and replacing machines that should have had a few good years left in them is now a painful expense rather than a routine decision.

So, you think your AI is smart? Your algorithm? Your fancy diagnostic tool? Well, let me introduce you to the real genius of medical diagnostics: Pigeons. Yes. Actual pigeons. Not metaphorical pigeons. Not a startup named “Pigeon.” Feathered, cooing, bread-stealing pigeons.

You wouldn’t leave your office unlocked overnight, right? So why leave your network wide open? If your digital doors are unlocked, anyone from a bored teenager to a professional cybercriminal can slip in and cause chaos.