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Adopting best practices for cyber security in the office and when working remotely can protect businesses of all sizes from costly data breaches and information theft.

The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 found that 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber security attach or breach in the preceding 12 months, equivalent to about 612,000 firms nationwide.

This is down from 50% in the previous year, a drop driven by businesses adopting best practices in cyber security. Some of the precautions taken by British businesses in 2024 included:

We have put together this top 10 cyber security checklist that office workers can follow to better protect data, passwords and backups against would-be threats, as well as to improve cyber security at home for hybrid workers.

Cyber Security in 2026

The fall in breaches in 2024-25 should not be seen as a drop in danger. Instead, it is a sign of better preparedness among UK businesses of all sizes, which in turn is translating into fewer successful cyber attacks.

In order to continue this trend in 2026, firms need to address the remaining disparities in cyber security policies. For example, 76% of the UK’s largest businesses run training sessions to improve awareness of cyber security tips for employees, but this figure drops to just 19% when SMEs are included. (Source: DSIT)

Our list of workplace and home cyber security tips covers ten of the most important issues you can address to protect your data, regardless of the size of your organisation.

Top 10 Cyber Security Best Practices 2026

Below is our cyber security checklist office workers can follow to defend against cyber attacks in 2026 and beyond.

While this list is in no particular order, these are ten of the biggest, most commonly encountered cyber threats, making them the best place to start when planning training on cyber security tips for employees and remote workers.

1. Strong and unique passwords

Weak and duplicated passwords are commonplace among office-based and home workers alike, and they’re still a threat to business cyber security. Nearly three quarters (73%) of UK businesses now have password policies in place to tackle this. (Source: DSIT)

Ideally, passwords should be:

Regularly changing passwords – and preventing reuse of old passwords – is also worth considering, as this can proactively prevent access using old leaked or hacked passwords. For more tips on password management, check out our guide here.

2. Multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires the use of two or more forms of authentication to log in. The most basic version of this is two-factor authentication, sometimes written as 2FA.

An example of this is when logging onto internet banking. You may have a username, a password, a PIN, a security question and/or a unique login code generated by a key fob or banking app.

Only 40% of businesses are using this kind of approach as of the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025, making this an area where the majority could do better. (Source: DSIT)

3. Keep devices up to date

Updating devices is one of the easiest ways to improve cyber security at home and in the workplace. Many updates and software patches are released to close newly identified security vulnerabilities, so it’s important to install them as soon as possible.

Automatic updates remove the burden of remembering to do this. Updates can be scheduled to download in the background at off-peak times and install overnight.

In many cases, modern computers can reboot to the exact same state – including any open programs and unsaved work – although it’s always a good idea to save documents to the cloud in real-time as you work on them.

4. Adopt email common sense

The old combination of ‘scams and spams’ is still one of the most important target points for workplace and home security tips in 2026. Phishing attacks – including fraudulent emails and attempts to make employees access fraudulent websites – were reported by 85% of UK businesses that experienced a cyber attack in 2024-25. (Source: DSIT)

Yet only 55% of businesses have a process in place for staff to follow when they receive a phishing attack. Again, this makes phishing awareness training and clear anti-phishing policies a good prospect when auditing cyber security in the office.

A sensible tip to follow is the five-second rule: Before opening an email attachment, clicking a link or replying to an unfamiliar address, stop for five seconds to consider whether you trust the sender, and to look for anything suspicious like poor spellings and grammar, high-risk attachments like .exe files, and to check the destination URL of hyperlinks.

5. Improve Wi-Fi hygiene

Wireless networks are convenient, but they pose unique risks to cyber security. Three of the biggest threats to tackle include:

  1. Employees connecting work devices to public Wi-Fi
  2. Employees connecting their own devices to workplace Wi-Fi
  3. Members of the public connecting to workplace Wi-Fi

In general, if you want to provide wireless internet access to visitors, you should have a second public connection in place. Keep your private workplace network for authorised personnel only.

The DSIT survey found that just 33% of UK businesses have a separate visitor network, while only 31% require the use of a VPN (virtual private network) to improve cyber security at home for remote workers.

6. Away-from-screen rules

We all need a coffee or bathroom break from time to time, but those ‘AFK’ (away from keyboard) moments can be some of the biggest short-term threats to cyber security in the office, as many employees do not lock their workstation when they step away.

This is a good issue to raise in employee cyber security training, as it’s something that can be improved via a culture of security awareness. Timeout tools that automatically lock the screen after a certain period of inactivity can also help.

Make sure employees don’t have access to change the settings on these – even if you instil the importance of security during away-from-screen times, some will try to deactivate the screensaver or standby setting rather than retype their password when they return.

7. Separating work & personal use

Maintaining separation between professional and personal use of devices is best practice and again, something you can include in home cyber security tips for remote workers, who may be more likely to use their personal laptop for work.

A good way to improve cyber security at home without using completely separate devices is to create an additional user account for work purposes. This can comply with workplace password policies, email security and other precautions.

Having separate accounts or devices for business use can also boost productivity, by reducing employees’ access to the distractions (e.g. apps and bookmarked websites) that may be found throughout their personal devices.

8. Secure backups & cloud storage

Fast wireless internet means there’s no reason why your data should be stored locally on devices that could be lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed. Set up secure online backups, ideally in real-time but at least on a daily basis, for all critical data.

This protects you against cyber attacks and other threats to business continuity:

Nearly all medium-to-large businesses surveyed by DSIT in 2024-25 had data backups in place, accounting for 96% of respondents. This technology is affordable to small businesses in 2026 – if you’re not backing up data to the cloud, make this your year to catch up!

9. AI scams awareness

The risk of cyber AI scams is growing at a rapid pace, and should feature on any cyber security checklist office workers are asked to follow.

AI can analyse vast quantities of data to identify vulnerabilities and to mimic specific phrasing used by real-life individuals when attempting to impersonate them. In extreme cases, AI-generated photographs and even videos (with audio) can be used to add to the realism of a scam.

Phishing – already the single most prevalent form of cyber security attack – is finding a new lease of life due to the potential to incorporate AI into phishing attempts. Employee awareness is crucial to combating this, along with creative techniques like the use of ‘safe words’ and other analogue authentication methods that are never typed into the network.

10. Reporting suspicious activity

Perhaps the most important of our cyber security tips for employees is to report suspected incidents, whether or not a breach has occurred. A lack of reporting is one of the biggest risks to cyber security in the office.

This can be difficult for management, because it requires a blame-free culture. Employees, both on-site and at-home, should be empowered to protect business data against theft or compromise, but if an incident slips through the net, they MUST feel able to report it.

Appropriate disciplinary action and/or re-training can follow at a later date, but in the first instance the most important response is to mitigate the breach, secure your systems and comply with any reporting requirements by your industry regulator or ICO.

Start With a Cyber Security Health Check

By focusing on the issues raised in this Cyber Security Checklist office workers can become more vigilant, while taking sensible steps to safeguard systems against cyber attacks, both at work and at home.

For a detailed list of recommendations based on your existing systems and safeguards, schedule your Cyber Security Health Check today.

Our experts will review your policies on everything from passwords and MFA, to AI and email awareness, to give you a list of best practice recommendations that will help to keep your business network safe from emerging threats in 2026 and beyond.

Running a small or medium business is not as easy as it looks. Everyday you need to handle emails, reports, customer queries, invoices, meetings and plan several things at the same time. This is where Microsoft Copilot for Businesses becomes a real game changer. It works as a smart assistant inside your Microsoft 365 apps. It helps to complete our tasks faster and with minimum effort, so instead of spending hours on admin, you can focus on growing your business.

Microsoft Copilot Use Cases for SMEs Businesses

Let’s look at some practical use cases that help SMEs save both time and costs.

1. Writing Emails and Replies in Minutes

How much time do you spend drafting emails every day? With Microsoft Copilot AI integrated in Outlook, you can draft professional emails in seconds. You just need to give short instructions like. “Reply to the client about pricing in a friendly tone,” and it prepares a well-written response. This saves time and also improves communication quality. Even small teams can maintain a professional image without hiring extra support staff. 

2. Creating Reports without Stress

Many SMEs struggle to prepare monthly reports, proposals and documentation work. Microsoft Copilot integrated in Word, can help to draft reports using previous documents and notes. It can summarise long files and convert raw data into readable content in a fraction of seconds. Hence, instead of spending hours in editing and formatting, your team can refine and review what Copilot creates. This makes Microsoft Copilot for Businesses especially useful for  those companies having less manpower. 

3. Smarter Data Analysis in Excel

Not everyone is an Excel expert. But, we need proffer filtered data for decision making. Microsoft Copilot in Excel helps to analyse trends, create summaries and charts with simple instructions. Eg: You can type,” Show me Sales Trends over the past 6 months” and it generates insights instantly. So, no need to depend on external consultants and helps business owners to make faster decisions. 

4. Faster PowerPoint Presentations

Preparing presentations for clients and internal meetings takes time. Microsoft Copilot integrated in PowerPoint can turn a simple outline into a complete presentation with slides, content and structure. This is helpful for SMEs who are pitching to new clients and investors. Instead of spending the whole day creating a presentation, you can prepare a polished presentation in minutes.

5. Everyday Task Automation

From creating task lists to drafting policies and summarising conversations, Microsoft Copilot for Businesses can handle repetitive work easily. These can in turn save big costs for the company. When employees spend less time on routine tasks, they can focus more on revenue generating activities, creating strategies and improving customer services. 

6. Better Meeting Productivity with Teams

Meetings are important but they consume a lot of time. With Microsoft Copilot AI tool, you can get a summary of the meeting, action points discussed and key highlights, that too automatically. If someone from your team misses the meeting, then this tool which is integrated with Microsoft Teams, helps to get them all points. This surely improves productivity and allows better communication within the group.

How Microsoft Copilot in Businesses Helps to Increases ROI

Microsoft Copilot AI directly impacts your return on investment (ROI). 

  1. Labor Cost Reduced – Less time is spent on manual tasks which means you don’t need to hire more staff.
  2. High Productivity- Teams can complete work faster and in a smart way.
  3. Better Decision-Making: Owners get quick insights from the data which helps them to make better decisions and also avoid mistakes.
  4. Customer Centric Focus- As the work is done faster, there are faster responses. Hence, this allows better communication and builds trust in the customers.

All these above factors contribute to overall business progress without increasing operational costs.

How Venom IT helps SMEs Businesses with Microsoft Copilot AI Tool

Technology should make life easier and not complicated. As a partner with Microsoft Copilot AI, Venom IT helps businesses to implement this tool effectively. From installation process to integration, training the team to ongoing support, we make sure that businesses get maximum benefits. You just need to identify areas where Copilot can save your time, cost and improve work quality.

We combine smart AI with our Venom IT expertise and allow SMEs to work smarter. What is the Result? You will get better efficiency, more productivity and increased ROI. Hence, in today’s cutthroat marketplace, adopting tools like Microsoft Copilot for Businesses is no longer an option but it’s a smart step towards business growth.

Venom IT has always been committed to provide the businesses with high-performance, secure, and industry-leading Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solutions. Today, we proudly make that quantum leap in an upgrade of our core infrastructure, bringing 6x speed, responsiveness, and reliability to your virtual desktops. These enhancements are designed to enable businesses with the same leading edge in technology employed by 500 Fortune companies and hyperscale cloud providers.

1. Next Generation CPU Power

We have improved our CPU Architecture with the latest generation of Enterprise-grade Processors. The above upgrade provides improved computational capabilities, enabling easier multitasking and overall performance enhancements. Your virtual desktop will be faster and smarter than ever whether you have got a big data set to work with, multitasking, or heavy applications.

2. NVMe Storage – The Gold Standard in Modern Computing

Storage is the pulse of the virtual world and we have made a big leap ahead with the migration from conventional storage drives to enterprise-grade NVMe storage. It is the same technology that powers the world’s fastest data centers.

Through the upgrade, you will get:

-Read/Write Speeds up to 6x Faster

-Substantially lower latency for data-intensive operations

-Increased IOPS for better responsiveness

 Accordingly, it would enable applications to open in an instance, loading files within a fraction of the time, as well as making daily functions operate at a faster rate. Those operations that took several minutes will merely be done within seconds.

3. Upgraded Network Switches for Best Connectivity

We have enhanced our network layer by upgrading the switches. This includes improved firmware, optimized patching, and pro-active post update monitoring. It also includes careful housekeeping inside the network especially within VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks). This means cleaning old and unused configurations, fixing small issues that would slow down the network, organizing network traffic so it works smoothly.

How do these DaaS upgrades add value to your business?

These upgrades bring significant improvements in your daily business operations such as:

Means you will get more speed, high performance and more productivity with zero disruptions to your workflow.

Real Business Impact

Our early performance benchmarks have revealed some encouraging results. Applications are loading much quicker—on average, we’re seeing them open about 40–60% faster than before. Because everything responds more smoothly, teams are able to get through their daily tasks with less waiting and fewer interruptions.

Large data files, analytics tools, and complex app services are running with much better stability and performance. Overall, the response from teams has been very encouraging, with people reporting that things are working more efficiently and more enjoyable.

Our Commitment to Innovation with DaaS Upgrades

These upgrades reflect our ongoing promise to stay at the forefront of DaaS technology by improving performance, security and overall user experience.  At Venom IT, you are fueled with enterprise-grade systems designed for your future.

 

Disaster Recovery Plan

 

A professional disaster recovery plan provides a data safety net if things should go wrong. SMEs often underestimate the likelihood and impact of downtime on business, as a result of data loss or other IT system failures. Sudden power loss, server crashes or even cyber attacks can put a halt to business operations and have long lasting effects on your overall operation. Customers can lose trust, employees become frustrated and efficiency will drop. All this can be avoided with disaster recovery planning, tailored to the unique requirements of an SME. Our 101 guide to DRaaS (Disaster Recovery as a Service) will explore options and solutions to keep your data and business safe.

 

What is Disaster Recovery Planning? 

A few examples of these IT disasters could be: 

 – Hardware failure (physical damage to the computer, server crash, manufacturing defects, or overheating) 

  – Cyberattacks (Ransomware, malware, data breach, hacking)

  – Natural Disasters (Floods, fire, earthquake) 

  – Human errors (accidental deletion of important files)

 

Key terms to know in Disaster Recovery Planning 

         Eg: “Our website must be up and running within 2 hours following the system crash.”

         Eg: “We can lose only up to 1 hour of sales data if the system “crashes.

 

Understanding DRaaS Approaches and Models

Organisations often implement disaster recovery plans based on their IT infrastructure, compliance needs, and budget. There are 4 main models which include On-premises, Off-site, Hybrid, and DRaaS.

On-Premises Disaster Recovery:

In this model, all data backup and recovery infrastructure is located in the organisation’s own internal data center. Important applications, servers, and data are duplicated in local hardware. If there is a failure, organisations can switch to those internal backups for recovery. This is best for large enterprises with strong IT teams for on-site data storage. 

Off-site Disaster Recovery:

In this model, all data backup or replicas of data are stored at a remote data center or a secondary location. Here, data is continuously backed up at another geographical location. If there is a failure at the primary site, then systems are restored from this remote site. This is best for organisations that have moderate cost control and are looking for geographical redundancy.

Hybrid Disaster Recovery:

This approach includes, combination of on-premises and public cloud resources. In this, critical workloads and data are replicated between private infrastructure (the company’s own data center) and public cloud, such as AWS or Azure. If the primary on-site fails due to a disaster, then the operations can be quickly shifted to a cloud environment.

DRaaS (Disaster Recovery as a Service)

DRaaS is like renting a disaster recovery plan from the cloud. Instead of managing all servers, backups, and recovery systems yourself, a DRaaS provider like Venom IT will take care of everything directly. It acts as a cloud computing service model that allows SMEs ad larger companies to back up their data and IT infrastructure in a secure, 3rd party cloud computing environment.

 

How can IT Providers help build your Disaster Recovery Plan?

Many SMEs don’t have in-house IT expertise or even resources to build one from scratch. This is where disaster recovery specialists can step in, from building the infrastructure that keeps your data secure, to actioning and restoring following any issues. DRaaS planning specialists help in a number of ways:

       1. Evaluating Business Risks and Critical Systems- An DRaaS  provider first starts identifying the most critical systems,                    applications, servers, and data. They assess what downtime would cost your business and then define Disaster Time Recovery (RTO)  and Disaster Point Recovery (RPO). (See our guide to what these terms mean further up)

      2. Designing a custom-made Disaster Recovery Strategy- No two organizations are alike. A good IT provider will customize a Disaster recovery plan based on the organization’s business type, budget, and size. Hence, it can be on-premises, off-site, or even hybrid. They will choose the right model which will offer affordability and flexibility. Eg: For SMEs, DRaaS is the best option.

     3. Implementing Backup and Cloud Solutions – They set up automated backups, replication of data, and cloud storage, ensuring your data is safely copied to a secondary location. So, if your main system fails, your business will not be affected.

      4. Testing the Recovery Plan- A plan written on paper needs to be tested in the real world to check that it works properly. Your IT        provider will simulate disaster scenarios and check everything works. Whether backup gets stored, applications load, servers run            properly, and the team knows how to work. Regular testing helps in keeping updated with tech and business changes.

      5. 24/7 Customer Support and Monitoring –IT Disasters can occur at any time, even after business hours. IT providers like Venom  IT offer 24/7 monitoring and provide quick response, ensuring your system remains safe during downtime or a cyberattack.

      6. Ensuring Compliance and Security –Many industries have strict data protection and compliance standards. IT providers stick to  the right protocols in their disaster recovery plans, so your business stays out of legal trouble.

 

Our approach to Disaster Recovery Planning – 4 key steps

     1.  Consultation: To understand your requirements, current IT configuration, and problems, we will schedule a friendly and                      straightforward consultation meeting. 

     2. Tailored Proposal: With an understanding of what solution will work best, we will put together a proposal plan that fits your          business needs, which includes a technical audit. 

    3. Onboarding and Initial Setup: Once you’re ready, our tech team will move to implementing the recommended plan. They will do installation, manage full systems implementation, oversee data migration, and build integration with the cloud. 

    4. Continuous Support: With the above successfully completed, a dedicated and experienced  account manager will stay in touch as a point of contact, monitor performance, and make sure your new  system is always running at its best.

 

Professional Grade Data Recovery

Venom IT works with some of the leading DRaaS software systems to make sure your business works with complete protection and best performance. They include: 

 

Common Disaster Recovery Planning Pitfalls and how to avoid them

Even with the best intentions, a disaster recovery plan can fail if a few small things are neglected. This is why it’s imperative to use an expert IT provider such as Venom IT. These are some of the common mistakes businesses can make, and  how we can avoid them.

Many companies create a disaster recovery plan but fail to test it again and again. When an actual disaster strikes, they discover that half of the plan did not work as expected. 

How to avoid it: Schedule regular testing at least twice a year. Create different disaster scenarios as trials, so your team knows exactly what to do and can fill the gaps immediately.

If there is an old or incomplete backup, it won’t help much during a crisis. 

How to avoid it: Automate backups wherever possible and check that they are running successfully. Also, test restoring your data occasionally and make sure the backups are usable.

If all your data and systems are stored at one location, then you’re putting everything at risk. 

How to avoid it: Consider using cloud-based Disaster recovery, like DRaaS or hybrid systems. In this way, even if the main system fails, you can access your data easily.

We always focus on technical errors, but forget that even humans can make mistakes. Deleting files, clicking on misleading links, etc.

How to avoid it: Train your employees regularly on cybersecurity practices and also set up permission-based access to critical data.

When systems go down, there is a lot of confusion. Teams don’t understand what is happening, and even customers are left in the dark. 

How to avoid it: Define clear communication in your disaster recovery plan, which includes who should be informed and when. Also, keep all contact lists updated.

What comes next? 

Disaster recovery is ultimately all about keeping your company safe, secure, and prepared for a number of scenarios no SME wants to deal with. Venom IT is an award winning provider of disaster recovery planning,  and understand that SMEs may have limited funding and resources. In order to detect potential risks, pinpoint weak points in the current setup, and create a customized disaster recovery plan that meets your company’s demands, we are providing a FREE disaster recovery audit. 

Take the first step towards data safety and business continuity by scheduling your free disaster recovery audit with Venom IT right now.

Just imagine you are an accountant working late into the evening during tax season. You have dozens of client files open, deadlines to meet, and suddenly your system freezes. Then to add stress to the situation a virus alert pops up on your screen. This is a nightmare scenario that no accountant or finance company wants to deal with . When sensitive client data is on the line, even a small security breach can cause serious financial loss and reputational damage. Not to mention the disruption to your team scrambling to address the problem. 

To mitigate against these kinds of instances Hosted Desktop services come into play, providing reliable, secure, and 24/7 available access to your work environment, from anywhere, at any time.

 

What is a Hosted Desktop?

Think of a hosted desktop as your entire office computer, but instead of being physically in your office, it lives and runs on the internet (in the cloud). Instead of relying on one device, your desktop files, applications, and software are all stored in a secure UK data center. Log in from any internet-enabled device and work as if you are at your office desk.

For modern accountants and financial firms, this offers a major benefit. There’s certainly no need to carry confidential data on a USB stick, or risk losing files if your laptop fails. Everything is securely stored in the data center and managed by IT specialists.

 

Why Security Matters for Accountants

Accountants and finance firms deal with a high volume of highly confidential information. From tax returns to payroll data, your reputation depends on keeping that information secure. A single breach could cost far more than the price of any reputable IT service.

That is why hosted desktop services for Accountants and financial firms in Manchester place such a strong emphasis on security. Venom IT adds several layers of protection, so your client data is safe from any risks at each stage. Let’s look at what this includes.

 

Key Security Features with Venom IT Hosted Desktop Solutions

Our Hosted Desktop and Citrix services offer core security attributes for accountants and finance enterprises, which include the following:

 

Hosted desktops for Accountants and Finance firms make hybrid-working much simpler and safer in numerous ways, such as:

 

Why does Venom IT’s Hosted Desktop Services stand out from others in the Manchester IT Market?

Due to the integration of Sentinel One’s advanced threat protection and Duo 2-Factor Authentication, Venom IT provides a strong shield to your business against Cyber attacks. We provide 24/7 support whenever you need help. With ISO 27001, 27017, and 27018, as well as other Cyber Essentials certifications, Venom IT meets industry standards. Also, our transparent SLAs clearly guarantee uptime and efficient performance.

 

What to do next?

In the fast-paced world of finance, uninterrupted operations, strong data security, and seamless regulatory compliance are essential for accountants and financial professionals to carry out their tasks smoothly. With advanced AI tools, Venom IT ensures your firm is not only productive but also protected against cyberattacks.

For a smarter way of working, with improved digitized technological tools, our Venom IT’s Hosted Desktop services would be the best solution for your firm to reach new business heights.

To find out more about how we can help your finance team, simply get in touch with an expert here: https://www.venomit.com/contact-us/