Only 27% of businesses in the North West said they have a basic understanding of generative AI, finds new research conducted for the British Business Bank. Research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Start Up Loans programme, revealed less than half (46%) of UK small businesses use AI at work. … [Read more...]
News for: Comms and Technology
Macclesfield IT service provider achieves government cybersecurity status
A Macclesfield based managed IT service provider has earned recognition from the UK government as a trusted cybersecurity advisor, joining fewer than 100 organisations nationwide to achieve this status. CARA Technology has been named an NCSC Assured Service Provider for Cyber Essentials, a … [Read more...]
Co-op becomes latest retailer hit by cyber attack
North-west headquartered retailer, the Co-op, has become the latest major chain hit by a cyber attack, with stores experiencing stock shortages and issues processing card payments. The retailer has since confirmed that personal data of its members was accessed, although it believes this did not … [Read more...]
New cyber laws to boost security requirements for data centres and MSPs
Data centres, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and critical infrastructure such as hospitals and energy suppliers will be required to strengthen their cyber security under new government plans. The government’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, first announced in the King’s Speech last year … [Read more...]
UK businesses facing higher costs for cloud services due to lack of competition
An independent inquiry for the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has published findings of an investigation into the £9 billion cloud services market. The assessment has found that competition is not working as well as it could be, with UK businesses facing higher costs, less choice, less … [Read more...]
AI chatbot to be trialled to help businesses find information on government website
The government website, Gov.uk, is to trial a new generative AI chatbot to help small businesses access advice on rules and support. Up to 15,000 people will be able to use the tool as part of the trial, with the chatbot linked from 30 of the government website’s business pages. The tool uses … [Read more...]
Expert Opinion: Cybersecurity insights for UK Businesses
Dave Taylor, MD of Handforth-based IT support specialists, Amshire, explains the key cybersecurity insights for businesses from the 2024 Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report. In today’s digital-first world, UK businesses face an evolving and intensifying threat landscape. The 2024 Hiscox Cyber … [Read more...]
Acquisition for Alderley Edge software provider
Alderley Edge-based software provider, IEG4 has announced the acquisition of Agile Applications, another provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions to local authorities. IEG4 provides SaaS digital solutions to public sector bodies, and the acquisition of Agile Applications will expand its … [Read more...]
New guidelines announced to support business leaders with cyber resilience
A new draft Code of Practice on cyber security governance has been published to help UK business leaders to bolster their resilience to cyber attacks. Aimed at business directors and senior leaders, the guide aims to ensure businesses treat cyber threats as seriously as they would legal or … [Read more...]
UK SMEs lack IT knowledge to make critical business decisions finds Sharp research
Despite an increase in investment in IT post-pandemic, a majority of IT professionals in UK SMEs admit they aren’t familiar enough with key IT areas such as cloud or IT security to make the right decisions for their business, according to a Europe-wide survey by Sharp. The provider of business … [Read more...]
Macclesfield IT company launches new range of CRM solutions
Macclesfield based IT solutions provider, Axon IT, has announced the launch of a new range of Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions. These solutions are designed to complement Axon IT's existing bespoke services, offering clients greater flexibility and accelerated implementation times. With the … [Read more...]
Chess acquires specialist cybersecurity consultancy
Alderley Edge-based IT provider, Chess, has announced the acquisition of specialist cybersecurity consultancy, CyberLab. CyberLab takes an innovative cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) approach that combining consultancy and technology to deliver the most robust solution for managing cyber … [Read more...]