Register your domains at our online storehttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
Finding a good domain name for your business or personal project is essential to helping people find your website. You can now register your domains at our Domain and DNS Portal
Handy Hint: Try and keep your domain name short and sweet, and preferably, easy to remember/type to help attract website visitors.
Did you know that multiple domain registrations can be re-directed to the same website?
This can increase the opportunity for customers to find you.
Depending on the number of domain names you register, we will reward you by discounting these prices. This discount will be based on the total number of domains under management at Hightrees Domain Store
Cyber Security & Awareness Training Coursehttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
Cyber Security & Awareness Training Course now available
With many people working from home during the Covid-19 situation, it’s crucial to ensure you are IT security conscious and can spot potential cyber threats and attacks.
Even with top-of-the-range protection, cybercriminals will often find clever ways of getting through the cracks.
When they do, they’ll use social engineering techniques to try and manipulate you or your users into giving away sensitive information.
Source : Juniper Networks
Keeping up-to-date in the rapidly changing landscape of cyber threats is vital for anyone who using IT. And this applies whether you are a home user, a small business /organisation or large business.
Online training on Information Security (InfoSec) can be a daunting prospect; often with lots of technical jargon and often a hefty price tag.
Whilst there are plenty of free resources available on the Internet if InfoSec/Cyber Security isn’t a core function of your business, where do you find the time to train yourself?
Hightrees has partnered with uSecure to offer a fully managed cybersecurity awareness platform for organisations and businesses of any size.
The uSecure platform provides a complete solution to cyber security training and awareness, through four modules.
uLearn – a library of short eLearning courses covering a variety of subjects, from Beginner to Advanced. Training is broken down into small, bitesize modules, presented in a non technical, blog style.
Your training route is based on a simple initial GAP analysis questionnaire.
uPhish – a phishing simulation tool. You can use the templates included or design your own.
uBreach – be automatically notified when your users’ details are found on the dark web.
uPolicy – manage policy deployment and record acknowledgement in one place.
Also included is Risk Score, which shows you the human threat to your organisation. It includes both an individual score for each of your users, and a Risk Score for your organisation.
One of the most important points is the cost – less than a cup of coffee per user!
We’re planning on launching in February 2021 with lots of how-tos and useful information online, but if you would like to know more now, please get in touch
WFH with VoIPhttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
Move from the office, to home and back to the office with ease.
Don’t be tied to your office phone line – work from anywhere !
One of the key benefits of VoIP during these “interesting” times is unlike your business premises, it isn’t tied to a location. With our free VoIP apps , you can answer business calls as if you were in the office.
No matter your location, your customers and clients won’t even know the difference.
Never get caught off guard.
Global pandemic, local lockdown or personal emergency ?
It’s business as usual with VoIP.
If you can’t get into the office, or need to work from home, your business phone system won’t be holding you back. Using our apps, or by taking your handset home, your office phone number travels with you. No diverts, no extra incurred costs, no need to disclose your personal mobile.
Business Hours Changing ?
Need to reduce your business hours, either due to lockdown or some other reason ?
You can make use of our Time Diaries function to change functionality easily. Toggle call routes on or off at particular times of the day to suit your business or personal needs.
Keeping your customers up to date.
Keeping your customers informed of change is important. Let your VoIP system can do the hard work. Simply record your “news” and play it to callers before you even pick up the phone. This is ideal for schools and clubs where you have many callers asking for the same information.
Busy or unavailable – don’t miss a message.
Get the right information to the right people easily.
The easy to use call route menu helps guide your callers to the right person or department.This helps you process your calls and can make life easier for your customers. Can’t take the call or demand is high ?You won’t always be free to take calls, no matter the situation. Everyone needs a brew right ? Give your callers the option to leave a voicemail, to free up their time and reduce “on hold” frustration. Voicemails are emailed to you automatically. No need to “check the machine” , just your email.
Unexpected Business boost or need to downsize ?
Some businesses are actually flourishing and growing in these Covid times, sadly some are not doing as well. Getting your staff set up with the service is as simple as adding them to the system and call routes. There’s no need to arrange for engineers to come in and install new phone lines or extra equipment. All you need is an internet connection. Users can be added or removed from your VoIP plan at any time.
Make your phone system do the work.
These are just a few of the ways in which a VoIP phone system can simplify the switch between remote working and being in the office. If you’ve been restricted by your business phone system during recent times, you’ll be glad to know that switching your telephone service is easy.
Interested in making your telephone system work for you, not the other way around. ? It’s time to get in touch with us to chat about our VoIP solutions.
Virtual Bluegrass Event with real productshttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/didmarton-virtual.png12792000Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
One project we have worked on recently was introducing a new online store for Didmarton Bluegrass Festival.
Due to Covid, the UK’s premier Bluegrass, Americana and Old-Time music festival couldn’t take place this year. The Didmarton Bluegrass organisers worked hard to host a 2 day online, virtual festival via Facebook and wanted to make the experience a little more real by setting up an online store.
A very busy 2 days sorting out SSL certificates, creating merchandise, sorting artwork, testing products and shipping and fine tuning testing payment processing resulted in their online Didmarton store being live – just in time for the first performance.
You can till get your hands on the 2020 Didmarton Bluegrass Festival goodies including a limited edition t-shirt or hoodie !
New website for local Artisthttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/John-Lennon-Peace-Statue-Hi-Res-scaled.jpg25601784Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
After Hightrees responded to a plea on a local Facebook Group, we’ve just launched the new website for local Artist Laura Lian.
Laura needed to do some work on her website but due to the previous design and lack of maintenance this proved to be quite complex.
The new website focuses more on the images rather than the text, allowing Laura to showcase her art pieces, including her John Lennon Peace Statue.
Behind the scenes, we’ve made some improvements to the SEO aspects of the site and have made some recommendations for further improvements.
A lots of the images on the site were not in a digital format originally so these will be replaced over time.
Due to an important Press function, the website needed to be up and running in less than 3 days. This included redesigning the entire site, adding all of the content and images and going live.
With a few early starts and late nights, the site was made live today with a couple of hours to spare !
The New Normal ? We can help you with thathttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
One of the highlights of the recent lockdowns has been the ability of businesses, of all sizes, to cope.
Many small businesses have had to adapt and embrace new technology as they could no longer operate on a face to face basis. Something that wasn’t considered important previously.
Our new phone system allows you to adapt as your stafing and business needs change in these “new normal” times.
No nonsense, easy to use telephone solution that gives you the ultimate control and staying in contact with your clients.
How can VoIP help my business ?
Open and close the office at a moments notice but still be available for your clients.
Using our system, your phone line isn’t tied to your premises so you can answer your office calls from anywhere, easily.
Talk your office calls on your mobile or a simple web browser or take your handset home.
Voicemails are emailed to you so no need to “check the machine”.
Need to setup an information line for your clients ?
Simply record your message and it is played to anyone calling your busines, or create a specific information line number.
Change your message easily – record the audio on your laptop or direct via VoIP System.
Keep you customers and clients updated in a simple and easy way.
Dont pay for diverts !
If you or your staff need to work from home, there is no need to divert calls to personal mobiles or start the “telephone tag” game.
Our phone system can be used via a handset so each user can access their “extension” via a handset, our free mobile app or even a web browser or all three!
You can keep your mobile number private and your customers see calls from your normal business number.
Aren’t these VoIP systems very technical ?
Your VoIP telephone system setup is available to change just using a a web browser.
How you handle your calls is entirely under your control, via a simple flow chart style approach
A simple example of call routing – incoming calls rings User 1001 (which is actually a handset AND mobile app), if no answer it gets sent to voicemail.
Isn’t VoIP Expensive ?
How does 2 users and a local phone number for under a £10 per month sound ?
Go PAYG so you only pay for the calls you make
Or go “unlimited” on a per user basis to cover their calls toUK Landline & Uk Mobiles.
Or choose a call pack for your entire business.
Don’t forget that call bundles are only cost effective if you make a lot of calls, this applies to any form of phone deal.
Handy Hint : Once you start regularly hitting the price point between PAYG and “Bundle” you can change your tariff via Your Account.
New VoIP Portal launchedhttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
We’ve just made getting started with VoIP telephony even easier with our new self-service portal.
Use your business phone system on your laptop, mobile or VoIP Handset
Business Quality VoIP in the Cloud
Help shrink your call costs with our state-of-the-art VoIP service and feature rich switchboard in the cloud. YOU choose the call package best suited for your business needs.
PAYG, Unlimited UK (inc Mobiles!), Unlimited EU or Call Packs to cover your entire business.
Our self service VoIP system is always on, accessible from anywhere and can be customised exactly how you want it to operate your business.
Whether you work out of your smartphone or conduct your business through your laptop, the Hightrees VoIP app harnesses the power of your phone system direct to your device of choice.
Or use an exisiting VoIP handset – the choice really is yours.
This may mean the end of giving out your personal mobile numbers to clients when you are out of the office.
Cyber Essentials and IASME Governance Certificationhttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
Hightrees Organisation is very happy to announce we have been successful in our assessments for the Cyber Essentials scheme and the IASME standard.
Zoom-Bombing In Wiltshirehttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
We’ve received the following from Wiltshire Police and thought it would be a handy resource for our Small Business clients.
“Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and people are staying home during lockdown, we’ve been encouraged to find alternative ways to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues. It’s important to keep talking and using technology is a great way to have face-to-face conversations, albeit digitally.
This has led to a huge influx of people downloading new platforms, one of which is Zoom – a video conference application. With its rapid rise in popularity, unfortunately comes a rise in potential risk. Users who are unfamiliar with the app and recommended security settings, can leave themselves open to incidents of ‘zoom-bombing’, whereby uninvited guests are able to hijack the virtual chat sessions with inappropriate language or display offensive or indecent images.
This can understandably be incredibly upsetting and shocking for the members attending. But it’s easy to take a few simple steps to ensure this doesn’t happen when hosting a video call:
1. Make the meeting private by either setting up a password or using a ‘waiting room’ feature which allows the host to control entry, these should both be set as a default on the App. 2. Consider limiting audio or video requirements if necessary, you can prevent attendees unmuting themselves after entry if required in the settings. 3. Limit screen sharing permissions to either just the host or trusted attendees. If publicising the event on social media, be extra vigilant with your settings. 4. You can also record meetings in Zoom, which will help an investigation in the event of criminal activity, however you must ensure the participants are aware if any recording is being created.
Gemma Vinton, Detective Inspector for the Digital Investigations and Intelligence Unit, said “Incidents of this nature have been reported globally as well as in the UK recently, however we have now unfortunately had three reports within Wiltshire in the last week. These ‘zoom-bombings’ have involved extremely unpleasant indecent child-abuse video footage being shown via screen sharing by a meeting participant who was not known to the organisers of the video conferences.
“The meetings were publicised on social media with limited security settings so we’re urging individuals and businesses alike to remain vigilant and ensure settings are fixed correctly to prevent future occurrences.”
Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson, added “This is an extremely malicious online crime which can have lasting effects on the victims and particularly the host of the meeting feeling responsible. It’s difficult to understand the motives: it could be pranksters simply aiming to prove that they ‘can’ infiltrate a conference and cause a stir and a bit of embarrassment; or it could stem from a much darker, more sinister place.
“The important thing to remember is it’s possible to prevent uninvited guests to your video calls, as it’s vital we all continue to stay in touch.”
For more information and advice on how to protect yourself against cybercrime visit the Wiltshire Police website https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/
If you have been a victim of cyber-crime report it to the police on 101, or Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.”
Message Sent By Sian Rivers (Police, Communications Officer, HQ)
Hacked ? No, just spear #phishinghttps://www.hightrees.org/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Small Business IT SolutionsSmall Business IT Solutions//www.hightrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/logo-only.png
Our emails have been hacked, this account has been compromised, I’ve notified all the other members of staff – what can we/you do ?
This was basically an email that Hightrees received from a client recently.
Upon investigation there was no hack. No activity or rogue logins on the sending email account at all.
When we actually found a copy of the email in question, it all became clear.
The email were a pretty typical but growing in use “spear phishing” email.
So how does spearphising work ?
In a nut shell this is where an email is sent appearing to be from a known source/name but is actually not the person you think it is.
The Email Security software highlighted this email in question as potentially an issue but it couldn’t be guaranteed.
As this information might be useful to others, below is a breakdown of some things to look for :
Display name is Mr CEO This is purely what is displayed as the person sending it. This is normally someone known to the person receiving the emails. The names of people in the Management Team, the owner, Directors etc are often available on company websites, Social Media or via Companies House.
Many businesses and organisations have email information available to the general public, so making something appear to come from “The Boss” lends an air of confidence to the email. This happens with many businesses – “it’s an email from the boss I must reply…” at first glance.
Email Address – executivecommitte286@gmail.com As you can see, this is not a internal company email. Technically this could still be a valid email if it was a personal email account.
Email Contents The first email was along the lines of
“I’m really busy, can you do me a favour ?”
Nothing spammy, nothing to immediately raise concerns – after all it is a message from “The Boss”.
Once a reply was sent, the tone of the email was still kept conversational and went along the lines of :
“I need to organise a prize for the next meeting, but I’m going to be tied up on a video conference – can you help me organise this please ?”
Again, no big red flags, no dodgy links – The Boss is busy and needs MY help.
There was a bit of to and fro – “give me an hour and I’ll give you the details” until the crunch point came.
I need you to get hold of some Apple iTunes gifts cards, if you can get 4 x £50 and 1 x £100 and scratch off the codes and email them to me I can do the rest. If you could do it within the next couple of hours it would be a life saver…..
This is tailored for a growing scam, where people are persuade to purchase gift cards and then pass on the codes to a 3rd party. Sometimes this is blatantly obvious and out of character for the person you think has sent the message, on other occasions it may seem normal.
The contents of spear phishing emails vary greatly, but they tend to be targeted to a specific aim rather than just dodgy weblinks as this helps the email appear genuine. Emails tend to be more conversational than typical spam/malware style attempts which helps with the “it must be genuine” feel.
As the first email that has come through is pretty basic, are you free, can you contact me – it’s human nature to respond as you think you know who you are talking to. Once this conversation starts , you are adding to the credibility of the mail so further spam/security checks become lower.
If in doubt, always contact the person via the proper email address/telephone to confirm.
Conclusion
Luckily in this instance, somebody twigged that something wasn’t right and raised concerns.
Whilst easier said than done, it is important not to over-react in these situations.
Panic emails mentioning danger words like “hack”, “compromised”, security etc do unintentional damage to both the users faith in the system and the supplier of any of the services mentioned, espcially if you jump the gun and email ALL of your contacts to say you have a problem.
You then run the risk of having to deal with the original problem and then dealing with the chinese whispers fall out.
