On 13 September 2021, Google will apply a security update to Google Drive that will make file sharing more secure. This update will change the links used for some older files, and may lead to some new file access requests as a result. Access to these files won’t change for people who have already accessed and viewed them.
You can see which, if any, of your files will be impacted here: drive.google.com/drive/update-drives
Microsoft will cease their Skype for Business Online service on 31 July 2021.
Microsoft announced this ‘end of life’ over two years ago, and has been moving all its customers to its new replacement service, Microsoft Teams. Although Teams isn’t a like-for-like replacement, Microsoft say it has reached parity for Skype for Business and hence this is why the latter is being ceased.
It is important to note that Skype (for home users) will continue to work. So too will Skype for Business Server, but this is an on-premise solution that is likely used by only very large organisations who own and maintain their own servers. There is also no incentive to use Skype for Business Server as it no longer has a roadmap (its social media accounts were last update in 2018!).
On 31 July, all of the following will be true:
You can find Microsoft’s announcement on this topic here.
Launching on 2nd August 2021, Windows 365 uses the power and security of the cloud to provide a virtual PC.
Windows 365 enables you to stream your own Windows desktop, apps, settings and content from the cloud to any device. Easily set up and scale PCs in the cloud to fit your needs.
Windows becomes a ‘hybrid’ operating system, that is both local (on a physical machine) and cloud (streaming from the cloud). Organisations can choose whether a physical PC, with its locally installed operating system, or a cloud PC, with its cloud-based operating system, is the best fit for a given user or role.
Benefits:
Read Microsoft’s announcement here.
We will announce license details and pricing closer to the launch date, once these are available from Microsoft. As always, as a long-standing Microsoft Partner, we will be able to offer all licenses below RRP and with immediate activation.
Amazon’s AWS (Amazon Web Services) has bought the encrypted messaging platform Wickr to enable secure working from home for employees.
Many companies are moving to hybrid work environments since the COVID-19 pandemic and are increasingly focusing on protecting their communication with business partners across remote locations.
Wickr offers protected communication and self-destructing messaging technology over text or calls. Wickr, alongside similar ultra private communications apps such as Signal, has become popular for encrypted chats since the increased awareness of the privacy and data requirements in other apps, such as WhatsApp.
AWS is offering Wickr services effective immediately and will continue to provide services to existing Wickr customers, channel, and business partners. It appears the acquisition was motivated by the need to comply with security conscious enterprises and government agencies’ security requirements, and it is not stated if this will be rolled out to all consumers.
Wickr has always been favoured by high-profile organisations such as governments, journalists and whistleblowers as it doesn’t require you to reveal your phone number or email address to use it. It will be interesting to see if this changes due to the acquisition, and if Wickr becomes compromised with the change of owner. Those who are conscious of monopolisation could argue this is another step in Amazon having full control over the market. Nevertheless, the move highlights that companies are taking security more seriously, and that is definitely a step in the right direction.
We are pleased to present the new website for Canvas Philanthropy at canvasphilanthropy.com, created in partnership with Thumbcrumble.
Canvas Philanthropy supports those who wish to make meaningful and powerful change in the world. From charity establishment to grant direction, corporate social responsibility consultancy to governance and compliance controls (and everything in between) Canvas Philanthropy have a diverse client-base including private foundations and commercial enterprises.
The new site features custom animations including morphing / moving background colours and a masked logo, bringing to life the simple and elegant branding. A full CMS is included, as with all our sites, which allows in-house control over all content. The site is fully responsive across devices and screen sizes.
Visit the site here: canvasphilanthropy.com
The European Union (EU) has reached the decision that personal information can continue to pass between Britain and countries which are members of the EU.
The decision considers the standards for the protection of personal data in Britain to be sufficiently high in order for data exchange to continue. Allowing data to continue to flow is a positive for organisations working internationally; enabling them to continue to operate and grow successfully without more changes to standards and procedures in addition to the General Data Protection Regulation (introduced in May 2018 when Britain was still part of the EU).
The European Commission is adopting strategies for a seamless transition at the end of a six-month grace period for Brexit – Georgina Kon, technology specialist partner at Linklaters law firm, stated that the decision has no end-date but is subject to constant review and with that the European Commission will be watching the UK closely to ensure continuing compliance and standards.