Last week we hosted the first of our Quarterly Charity Technology Roundtables, with Microsoft Tech for Social Impact and Charity Finance Group. In this blog, we summarise our discussion on managing IT budgets, staff retention, and measuring the value of IT, and provide information about our upcoming events. Recruitment & retention Colleagues were aligned that…
Big changes are afoot in the world of internet connectivity, and telephony, across the sector. Traditional copper phone lines in the UK are being switched off forever in 2025, meaning your organisation may need to switch its internet connection(s). The COVID-19 pandemic already transformed how businesses use telephones; across the country plastic desk phones gathered…
Welcome to the Smartdesc February newsletter. This month we focus on how charities can protect themselves against phishing attacks and offer the following resources: Guides on common charity cyber attacks and measures you can take to prevent them Phishing Simulation Service and Cyber Security e-Learning, tailored to charities Further resources from EasyDMARC and Charity Finance Resources…
Email is not secure 91% of all cyber attacks begin with email. Despite all the advances in cyber defence, good old-fashioned email still provides an open door for attackers to knock on. Email is your biggest security risk by a long way. Finance staff frequently use email and they deal with money on a daily…
Charities are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals. According to the Cyber Security Breaches Report 2022, 19% of charities reported they had been attacked in 2018. This has now risen to 30% of charities reporting attacks in 2022. But why are charities targeted? And what can they do to mitigate against cyber threats and reputational…
Welcome to the Smartdesc January newsletter. We are NCVO-approved IT experts specialising in the charity sector, enabling nonprofits to achieve more with technology and modern ways of working. This month we focus on how charities can be more cyber secure and offer the following resources: A framework on how to prepare should you ever experience…
Picture this: Your charity has just been hit by a ransomware attack. Your files are all encrypted, staff are locked out of their computers, and hackers are demanding a substantial ransom to restore everything, otherwise they will release your beneficiary data onto the internet. As scary and unlikely as this may sound, charities are increasingly…
Common mistakes charities make with Information Governance (IG) Many charities and non-profits approach us because they do not have an information Governance structure, sufficient processes, or training in place to ensure that data is being processed correctly and securely. This almost always is simply down to resource capacity and budget, which is of course understandable.…
On May 10, 2022, as part of the Queen’s Speech, the UK government announced its intention to introduce a Data Reform Bill.
According to the UK government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021, a quarter of charities (26%) reported having cyber security breaches or attacks in the last 12 months. The risk is high for all organisations; email (phishing) remains the most successful method. Preparing for what to do should the worst happen is almost as important as preventative…
