News

A recent article issued by the National Crime Agency demonstrates how criminal masterminds can cause immense damage, but that they can and do get caught.  The NCA identified the fraudster and kept him under surveillance. In doing so they were able to trace his vast web of deceit which included taking on several identities, moving between locations, and engaging with other criminal associates.  Using mainly phone calls and social engineering, he and his team were able to defraud victims out of large sums, finding plausible stories targeted at their victims. For example, one victim tells how she was defrauded out of almost £160k after a fake call claiming to be from her bank. Another was conned into paying for a car that never materialised.  The fraudster and his gang even set up a fake online real estate agency and stole the identity of a legitimate childcare company.  This story highlights the lengths that criminals are prepared to go to in order to con innocent victims. On this occasion the fraudster dedicated his life to finding new ways to scam innocent victims. He didn’t rest… that’s why none of us can!  In the words of the NCA: “Criminals are great pretenders. They may contact you pretending to be a trusted person or company. Millions of people are targeted by scam messages or phone calls like this every year. So if something seems suspicious or unexpected, such as requests for money or…

The beauty of a buffet is that you can choose a variety of different items in the quantities that you want, and have them all on one plate – yummy! You won’t have the same plate as anyone else, and that’s fine – you will have exactly what you choose, rather than a plate of food that someone has assumed you will like.  And that is how Net Primates can help with your IT – we provide a variety of IT services, you have exactly what you need, and only have to deal with one, itemised invoice. Plus, you’ll benefit from IT products and services that interconnect without you having to liaise with various different providers.   Our core provision is IT Support, ensuring local businesses can work efficiently, effectively and securely. Our aim is to take any worry away from business leaders so that you can concentrate on your core business.    As we all appreciate, there are many facets to IT and we can help you with all of them. From advising you on the best machine for the job to providing your phone system and internet connectivity, we’ll also give advice on IT training, strategy and security.   Choose your IT buffet from:  We’re constantly examining the world around us, keeping up to date with the latest technology available and security threats (and solutions) – making sure our buffet has all the best dishes to choose from!   Tell us what you want on your plate… and if you need…

Once again cybercriminals are preying on vulnerabilities for their own gain.  Business  Research by Bridewell suggests that over a third of UK organisations involved in the provision of our critical national infrastructure are predicting a rise in cybercrime. The utilities sector feels particularly vulnerable with 41% of respondents seeing the surge being caused as a result of financial hardship.  Scarily, over a fifth of the CNI decision makers questioned ranked employee sabotage as one of the greatest risks! Employee sabotage has already increased by 62% over the past year.  Phishing and social engineering attacks are also viewed as high on the list of threats, with financial fears being used to target employees.  As businesses pull their horns in, all budgets are squeezed, including those allocated for cybersecurity. Consequently, this increases the number and breadth of gaps where criminals can infiltrate a business.  Domestic  In the domestic space, Neighbourhood Watch reveals that a recent survey found 25k respondents had been victims of cybercrime. Additionally, many of those who replied to the survey feel more concerned about the risk of cybercrime now that we’re in a cost of living crisis. That said, it’s still the case that only 40% updated their antivirus software regularly and experts are concerned that many are not taking advantage of software updates that provide security patches.  Whilst phishing emails are still flooding inboxes, text messaging and phone calls are also being used to target the vulnerable.  Solution …

  One year on and Net Primates are once again ensuring that we stay ahead of the cybercrime curve by mixing with industry peers at IT Nation Secure.  Steve Cole is representing us and is experiencing three impactful days of speakers, sessions and networking, focused on cyber security. The main focus for Net Primates is around the learning track of ‘Protect, Detect, and Respond’.   Why go?  As we all know, trying to immerse yourself in a topic can be tricky when we have the day job to deal with. By taking a few days out, Steve is able to focus 100% on learning about the latest cyber threats and security products. In addition, relationships are deepened; we are part of a global cyber security community – we are there for each other to help solve problems and keep our customers safe.  Protect  During IT Nation we’re able to learn about new products available, building connections with suppliers so that we know where we need to go to source vital security solutions.  Detect  Regrettably, protection is no longer the main concentration for cyber security specialists. It’s now widely accepted that cyberattacks can take place even where stringent measures are in place. We all now need to be able to detect an attack as soon as possible – ideally before the hackers inform us!  Respond  Finally, if an attack has infiltrated defences, and been detected, we need a response plan. By…

By subscribing to environmental organisation, Ecologi, Net Primates are helping to fund projects and work in a climate-positive way.  What is Ecologi?  Ecologi is a social enterprise which helps businesses take real climate action using simple and impactful solutions. Founded in Bristol in 2018, its group of environmentalists work to help us take collective action.  Can Ecologi stop climate change?  There are billions of concerned people on our planet who care, but don’t know how to make a meaningful contribution. By creating a useful platform that allows all of us to make the impact we want to, and continue the process of carbon awareness, there’s an amazing opportunity to make a difference.  The underlying projects managed by Ecologi include reforestation, renewables and efficient cooking stoves, and are all ranked highly in terms of climate change solutions.  How big is a carbon footprint?  Each footprint depends on a number of factors, including where you live, and how you live your life.  If you live in the Global North, it is very likely your carbon footprint is currently well beyond the tolerable amount for limiting warming to 1.5ºC. Even if your food is plant-based, local and in season, there’s a mind-boggling carbon cost for almost anything you spend your money on.  Ecologi recognise that the concept of an individual carbon footprint is controversial, especially given that it is often reported that most emissions come from just a small cabal of ultra-high emitting…

By its very nature, the dark web is a mysterious side of the internet that contains content that can be a very real threat to businesses. As a highly experienced IT company whose priority is to help guard businesses against the damage caused by viruses, malware and cyber threats, Net Primates is ideally placed to protect your business-critical systems from the dark web. What is the dark web? The dark web is the term used to describe the secret part of the internet that isn’t visible or accessible via the average browser, like Google or Bing, that you use on your laptop, PC, smartphone or other devices.  It contains extensive illegal and illicit content, as well as sensitive information about individuals, businesses and data. How is the dark web different? The difference between the dark web and the visible part of the internet that we all access every day, is that the dark web contains a lot of information that has been stolen in various different ways. Most commonly, it could have been stolen by social engineering or data theft by viruses malware. Often, you will find a huge amount of identifiable information like usernames with email passwords that could cause significant harm and inconvenience to people if it reaches the wrong hands. Dark web content is encrypted, and beyond the reach of government and law enforcement. For this reason, it’s often referred to as the digital Wild West. Is…

We are delighted to announce that the Living Wage Foundation has accredited Net Primates as a Living Wage Employer.   “Our team at Net Primates are committed to providing fantastic customer service, always putting in a hard day’s work – for that they obviously deserve a fair day’s pay,” says MD, Steve Cole.  What is the real Living Wage?  The real Living Wage is the only hourly pay rate based on the true cost of living.  It is independently calculated each year based on living costs and accredited employers choose to go further by paying all their staff, including subcontracted staff, a real Living Wage.  At the heart of the Living Wage movement is the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. In 2016 the government introduced a rise in the minimum wage for over 25s and called this new statutory minimum The National Living Wage.  But there is still a gap between the amount all employers have to pay by law and the real Living Wage that meets the cost of living. That’s why thousands of UK employers voluntarily commit to going further – because it’s fair.  The real Living Wage recognises that under 25s have the same living costs as everyone else. Rates are independently calculated every year and announced during Living Wage Week in November.  By paying the real Living Wage, employers are voluntarily taking a stand to ensure their employees can earn…

Here we revisit a blog from 2018 which is still as relevant today as it was 5 years ago.  Why install? Installing ‘plugins’ or ‘extensions’ into our internet browsers can seem like a good idea at the time. We’re told that if we install a certain ‘add-on’ that the additional features will enhance our browsing experience. Trustingly, we install said plugin/add-on/extension, and voila – our browser slows down…  Yes, we know we’re exaggerating slightly but we’re not completely off of the mark. Plugins, add-ons and extensions can improve the usability of our internet browsers. However, they can also bring unexpected problems. With each additional feature comes added time that your browser will take to work. Alongside this the plugins or extensions may need updates from time to time, and if these are not carried out then not only is functionality lost but you’re still left with a slower browser.  Malware More alarmingly, there’s also the risk that a certain extension can insert malware into your machine. And some software downloads come with unwanted programs, installed without the user’s knowledge. It has been known for some Google Chrome extension developers to work with unscrupulous third-party companies to silently push advertisements to internet browsers through extensions that the user is not even aware of!  Solve the problem So, what to do? Of course, we can work with you to eliminate the glitches caused by certain extensions but you could try the following…

Are you prepared for your new team member? As we chase our tails, completing the day job, marketing the company, strategising for the future, etc, etc it’s often the case that we miss the tasks that aren’t directly in our line of vision. And this can sometimes involve making sure that everything is in place for the new member of staff that’s arriving on Monday…   The scenario to avoid… So, to set the scene, it’s Sunday morning and you’ve just realised that the new member of staff will be in the office, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at 9am on Monday. They’ll be keen to impress and enthusiastic to start work straightaway, so how will they feel if they don’t have the right IT kit in place and aren’t able to ‘hit the ground running’? Not only will they feel demotivated and wonder if they’ve made the right decision, but their lack of productivity will also impact on your bottom line. To try and alleviate the awkward situation that’s going to occur you quickly call a few current staff members (interrupting their Sunday lunch) to rustle up some IT kit and then muddle through when the new member of staff arrives. Unfortunately, you’re not completely convinced that they have the right software or security in place for the tasks that they’re undertaking…   The Solution! We know we’ve painted a pretty bleak picture here, and we fully appreciate the pressure that we can…

WiFi is arguably one of the few areas of day-to-day computing that has changed dramatically in recent years and continues to develop. That’s why it’s worth reviewing your WiFi to ensure you have the best provision for your requirements.  History The term WiFi was only added to the dictionary in 2005 when it became mainstream! Yes, it feels as if we’ve had it forever, and it’s hard to recall how we all managed without it. In the short space of time that WiFi has been with us it’s had a profound impact on our commercial and domestic lives.   In the early days WiFi seemed hit and miss. We didn’t assume that we’d get it – but it was good when we did. Nowadays great WiFi is expected – a business providing a flaky service do so at their peril.  Great WiFi Companies that rely on offering customers great WiFi need to come up with the goods! It’s no good enticing people in with the promise of WiFi only for them to find that they only get coverage at certain times and in certain places. Imagine a holiday park for example. Their guests will have been promised WiFi and as such will expect top notch provision 24/7 wherever they are on the park. They may not get top Trip Advisor marks because of great WiFi… but their scores could be impacted if WiFi isn’t up to scratch. Additionally, the park will…