Countdown to Windows 7 end of life

By Jason McNicholas On 22nd October 2009 Microsoft released Windows 7, one of the most widely used and successful operating systems ever created, vastly improving on the flaws of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Even 10 years later, and multiple newer Windows Operating Systems, as of September 2019 it is estimated that around 30% of systems …

Changes to Cyber Essentials

Indelible Data will remain a Certification Body when the Cyber Essentials scheme changes in April 2020 The NCSC has chosen ISASME to take over as the sole partner from April 1 leading to: a new simplified operating model and streamlined user experience the introduction of a minimum criteria for Certification Bodies and Cyber Essentials assessors …

Former apprentice celebrates cyber success

Jason McNicholas from Workington is celebrating passing his Cyber Security apprenticeship at Indelible Data. The 21-year-old seemed destined for a career in information technology after getting his first computer aged just four. Jason said: “I didn’t want to go to university and found out about the Cyber Security Technologist Apprenticeship at Energus on Facebook. “I’d …

Phishing and how not to get caught

By Euan Henderson Cyber Security Apprentice Phishing Attacks could fool anyone, especially when targeted at groups who are expecting an important email about funds around this time of year. The Student Loans Company (SLC) has issued a warning about phishing campaigns that happen each September, January and April. In the last two years, it has …

Swinging through the trees to build our team

By Tony Wilson So, does a day out in the wilds “team building” actually add any value to the to the team that you are trying to build in the office?   After a morning at Go Ape at Whinlatter Forest park in Cumbria – followed by an afternoon Segway riding through the woods, I’m …

Organised Cyber Gangs and how they operate.

By Euan Henderson Cyber Security Apprentice For most people, the word ‘hacker’ conjures images of hooded loners sitting in darkened rooms focused on lines of codes on a computer screen. You may be surprised to learn that many hackers form part of an Organised Criminal Group (OCG) or ‘Cyber Gang’ with designated roles and even …

Ready to help! Staff become Mental Health First Aiders

It can be easy to spot the signs of someone struggling mentally but knowing how and when to help can be a much tougher challenge. Two members of staff at Indelible Data have become Mental Health First Aiders, accredited by Mental First Aid England following a two-day course organised by Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster. …

Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus – FAQs

Cyber Essentials – How do I become certified? When applying for Cyber Essentials Basic, please select the size of company and package required here to make payment and receive a login to the assessment portal. All responses must ultimately be entered into an online portal to achieve certification. How long does Cyber Essentials Certification last? …

Anti-spoofing controls – stopping the email impostors

By Euan Henderson Cyber Security Apprentice Three controls that should be configured are: Sender Policy Framework (SPF) DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) Domain based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) records NCSC recommends the following: That all domains have the SPF and DMARC records in place, regardless of whether the domain is or is not used …

Stop downloaded files running without warning

By Tony Wilson Senior consultant We are often asked how to prevent, or alert the user that, an untrusted file has been downloaded from the internet. This is a requirement of Cyber Essentials and relates to question 4.5 of our questionnaire. It is often a good idea to check your anti-virus programme as it may …