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Is SMS Authentication Still Safe?
If you’ve ever logged into an online account and received a text message with a six-digit code, then you’ve used SMS authentication.
For years, it has been one of the most common ways to protect online accounts. Even today, many banks, retailers, and online services still use it as part of their login process.
SMS authentication remains much safer than relying on a password alone, but experts no longer consider it the strongest form of multi-factor authentication available.
3N1 IT Consultants
5 days ago3 min read
Access Levels and Security Clearance
How many levels of security clearance exist in your organization? Can you view and manage the same files as your boss, or your boss’s boss’s boss? Does your I.T. team have control over more accounts than you and your coworkers?
3N1 IT Consultants
6 days ago2 min read
Why “Free” Software Can End Up Costing You
Everyone likes getting something for free.
Whether it’s a PDF editor, a video converter, or a photo editing app, downloading a free program instead of paying for one can seem like an easy way to save money.
Unfortunately, cybercriminals know that you think so.
Fake or modified software has become one of the easiest ways for attackers to spread malware. Instead of getting the program you expected, you could end up installing software that steals passwords, spies on your act
3N1 IT Consultants
Aug 143 min read
Why Your Browser Could Be Your Biggest Security Risk
Most people spend hours on the web every single day. People use it to check email, pay bills, shop online, access work applications, and even manage their bank accounts. As a result, our web browsers have become the gateway to most of our digital lives.
Unfortunately, cybercriminals know that too.
That’s why your web browser has become one of the most common places that hackers target their victims. What do you need to know about staying safe online?
3N1 IT Consultants
Aug 123 min read
Why You Should Never Ignore a Software Update
Few things are more annoying than a notification telling you that it’s time to install another software update.
You’re busy. When you’re in the middle of an important task, clicking “Remind Me Later” feels like the easiest option.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what cybercriminals hope you’ll do.
So why is it important to install new software updates as soon as possible?
3N1 IT Consultants
Aug 72 min read
Deleting a File Doesn’t Always Delete the Data
You finish a project, empty your Recycle Bin, and move on with your day.
Problem solved, right?
Not always.
Many people assume that deleting a file means it is gone forever, but in reality, deleting a file often just removes the shortcut that tells your computer where to find it. Depending on how and where it was stored, that information may still exist.
Understanding how data gets deleted is all a part of knowing how to protect it. Then you also know how to get rid of it
3N1 IT Consultants
Aug 52 min read
Think Before You Copy and Paste Into AI
Artificial intelligence has become part of everyday work.
People use AI tools to write emails, summarize documents, brainstorm ideas, and answer questions in seconds. These tools can save time and improve productivity, which explains why they’re becoming so popular.
Before you paste information into an AI chatbot, however, you should stop and ask yourself one simple question:
Would I be comfortable sharing this information with someone outside my organization?If the answer
3N1 IT Consultants
Aug 43 min read
Microsoft Is Retiring SMS Authentication. Here’s What It Means for You.
If you use Microsoft services at work, you may soon notice a change when you sign in.
Microsoft has announced that it is retiring its built-in SMS (more commonly known as text messages) and voice call authentication methods for Microsoft Entra ID, its identity and access management platform used by organizations around the world.
Instead, Microsoft is encouraging its users to switch to passkeys and other phishing-resistant sign-in methods.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 313 min read
How to Keep Your Business Running When Microsoft 365 Goes Down
Summary: The tools that run your business, like Microsoft 365, your accounting app, or your booking system, are reliable most of the time, but they do go down. When one does, work can stop for hours, and you often can’t do anything but wait for the provider to fix it. A simple plan keeps your team working and your customers informed while you wait.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 295 min read
How to Spot a Scam Email Now That They Look Real
Summary: Scammers now use AI to write their phishing emails, so the spelling and grammar mistakes that used to give them away are gone. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre and the FBI both warn that AI makes these messages cleaner, more personal, and harder to spot. The way to catch them now is to look at what an email is asking you to do, because the writing no longer gives anything away.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 295 min read
Screen Sharing Safely: What You Might Be Revealing Without Realizing It
Sharing your screen has become part of everyday work. Whether you’re joining a virtual meeting, helping a coworker troubleshoot a problem, or giving a presentation, screen sharing is one of the fastest ways that we collaborate in modern workplaces around the world.
It can also reveal a lot more than you intended.
Many people focus on what they want others to see, but you also have to pay attention to everything you might show accidentally.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 202 min read
Why Logging Out Still Matters
Most people have gotten into the habit of locking their computer before walking away from their desk. While that’s a great start, there’s still another habit that often gets overlooked: Logging out.
Many websites and apps keep you signed in for convenience. If someone gains access to your computer, phone, or tablet, they may also access your email, bank account, cloud storage, or work applications without ever needing your password.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 153 min read
What is Privilege Escalation in a Data Breach?
Did you hear about the new vulnerabilities in Google’s Vertex AI platform?
A recent breach of these vulnerabilities involved large language models (LLMs). The attacker used privilege escalation to exploit a system running Google Vertex AI. This allowed them to mine and steal sensitive data that the AI had access to. Essentially, the attacker got the system to reveal more information than it should have, including valuable intellectual property or private data.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 153 min read
Top 10 Compliance Mistakes Small Businesses Make
Staying compliant with data privacy regulations can feel overwhelming, especially for small businesses that have limited time and resources. Many business owners and employees alike assume that only large corporations have to worry about it. In reality, we all have to abide by various state and federal statutes designed to safeguard various Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 153 min read
Simple Daily Habits to Strengthen Your Cyber Hygiene
Most people think cybersecurity requires expensive software or advanced technical knowledge, but in reality, some of the best ways to protect yourself are a lot easier than that.
Practicing regular online safety habits is called cyber hygiene. Just like brushing your teeth or locking your front door, the key to good cyber hygiene is all about building healthy habits.
These small actions only take a few minutes each day, but they can dramatically reduce your chances of becom
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 103 min read
Still on Windows 10? Here’s Why You’re Putting Your Business at Risk
Article Summary: Windows 10 reached the end of Microsoft support on October 14, 2025, which means it no longer gets security updates. The computers still work, but any new flaw found in Windows 10 will never be fixed, which makes them easier to attack and can cause problems with compliance and cyber insurance. You have three options: upgrade eligible PCs to Windows 11 for free, pay for Extended Security Updates as a short-term bridge, or replace machines too old to upgrade.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 105 min read
What to Do in Case of a Cyberattack (Step by Step)
Article Summary: If your business is hit by a cyberattack, the first hour matters. Disconnect the affected devices from the network instead of powering them off, call your IT provider by phone, and leave the evidence in place. If money was wired to a scammer, call your bank right away. This post is a step-by-step plan, plus guidance on where to report an attack in the US, UK, and Australia.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 105 min read
What Are Passkeys, and Should Your Business Use Them?
Article Summary: A passkey lets you sign in to an app or website using the same fingerprint, face, or PIN you use to unlock your phone or laptop, with no password to type. It’s built on a security standard called FIDO that can’t be phished, because the passkey only works on the real site and there’s no password to steal or reuse. Most major platforms and a growing list of business tools support passkeys, and Microsoft 365 includes them at no extra cost.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 105 min read
QR Code Scams: What They Are and How to Protect Your Business
Article Summary: A QR code scam, sometimes called quishing, hides a malicious web link inside a QR code. Because the link is buried in an image instead of written as text, it slips past the email filters that normally catch bad links, and scanning the code usually moves the victim onto a personal phone that sits outside the company’s security. Microsoft reported a 146% rise in QR code phishing during the first quarter of 2026. QR codes are part of normal business now.
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 106 min read
How to Stop Scammers from Sending Emails in Your Company’s Name
Article Summary: Email spoofing is when a scammer sends a message that appears to come from your domain, often to trick your clients or staff into paying a fake invoice or changing banking details. Three DNS records (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) prove that a message really came from you and tell receiving mail servers to reject messages that don’t. The catch is that DMARC only protects you when it’s set to “quarantine” or “reject,” and many businesses leave it on “none,” which monit
3N1 IT Consultants
Jul 96 min read
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