Welcome to the first SBS Tech Briefing — a short weekly roundup of the technology news that actually matters to UK businesses, in plain English, with practical advice on what to do about it.
Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025, and businesses still running it are now paying for Extended Security Updates (ESU) — with Microsoft this month releasing the latest paid-for patch and confirming consumer updates run out in October 2026. The cost of staying on Windows 10 rises each year, and older machines are increasingly a compliance and insurance question as well as a security one.
What this means for your business: if any of your PCs are still on Windows 10, now is the time to plan the move — either upgrading eligible machines to Windows 11 or scheduling replacements — rather than paying escalating ESU fees for ageing hardware. We can audit your estate and give you a clear, budgeted migration plan.
The National Cyber Security Centre has warned that state-linked attackers are actively targeting UK home and business routers — hijacking unsecured or out-of-date devices to steal credentials and use them as a springboard into company networks. Small businesses are firmly in scope: an old router with a default password is an open door.
What this means for your business: check that your router or firewall is still receiving firmware updates, that remote management is switched off, and that the admin password is not the one it shipped with. If your kit was supplied by your broadband provider years ago and never touched since, treat it as a priority to review.
Security researchers this month report a continued surge in identity-based attacks — criminals logging in with stolen or phished credentials rather than breaking in. Microsoft 365 accounts remain a favourite target for invoice fraud and mailbox takeover.
What this means for your business: multi-factor authentication (MFA) on every Microsoft 365 account is the single most effective protection you can switch on, and it costs nothing. If you have not reviewed who has access to what in your 365 tenant recently, a quick access review is well worth an hour.
The NCSC’s refreshed small business guidance this summer repeats a simple truth: most successful attacks on small firms still start with a phishing email. Staff awareness, a way to report suspicious messages, and MFA blunt the vast majority of them.
What this means for your business: ten minutes of team training beats almost any gadget. Make sure your people know how to spot and report a dodgy email — and that reporting one is always welcomed, never criticised.
Need a hand with any of this? Talk to Structured Business Solutions on 0141 739 5105 or email hello@structuredbusiness.co.uk.
