Welcome back
To Lugo Lingo, your monthly roundup of tech insights, cyber updates, and community news. This month, we’re diving into cloud compliance, Microsoft tools you might not be using to their full potential, and exciting upcoming events. We hope you have a good month ahead.
Lugo on the Road: SFHA & Sage User Group Events
This autumn, the Lugo team is out and about at three key industry events:
📍 SFHA Finance Conference – 11–12 November, Fairmont St Andrews
Steven and Shannon will be showcasing how AI can be used safely and securely in the housing sector. Expect a live demo on voice cloning and a discussion on the risks of shadow AI – a must-see for anyone exploring responsible tech adoption.
📍 Sage User Group – 2 December, Waterloo Gate (Microsoft Building, Waverley)
We’re hosting our next Sage User Group session, bringing together users for peer-led discussions, product updates, and practical tips to get the most out of your Sage environment.
Sign up here
📍 ICAS, AI and cyber security strategies with Microsoft Copilot – 3 December, Radisson Blu Hotel, 301 Argyle St, Glasgow, G2 8DL.
Lugo is joining ICAS to help firms working in practice stay ahead of rising AI trends and tightening cyber regulations. In this session, we’ll show partners, directors and senior leaders how to use Microsoft Copilot to boost productivity while staying compliant. You’ll gain cyber security clarity, AI confidence, and practical guidance to future-proof your firm, Plus hear from ICAS President Karen Scholes CA and put your questions to the Lugo team.
Book here for the ICAS event
💬 Want to join us at an event? Contact us to learn more.
Talk It Out with Microsoft Dictate & Transcription
Did you know Microsoft Word has a built-in Dictate feature? You can speak directly into your documents or upload voice notes for transcription. It’s a great way to save time, reduce typing strain, and support neurodiverse team members.
🧠 Great for:
- Capturing meeting notes
- Drafting emails hands-free
- Creating SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) from voice recordings
- Staying present in Teams meetings while Teams handles the transcription
Learn more: here
Need to Dispose of Old Tech? We’ll Handle It Responsibly
If your organisation has outdated laptops, monitors, or other IT equipment gathering dust, we can arrange a secure and certified collection and disposal. Lugo partners with accredited recycling providers to ensure your devices are handled in line with WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations.
You’ll receive a WEEE certificate confirming safe disposal, ideal for compliance and peace of mind.
📦 To arrange a collection, speak to your Lugo account manager.
Cloud Compliance for Scottish Organisations
Cloud services are powerful but without proper compliance, they can expose your business to risk. Lugo helps SMEs navigate cloud compliance with free support for Cyber Essentials certification and renewal.
On 20 October, a major AWS outage disrupted services for organisations like HMRC, Netflix, and Slack. The incident was a stark reminder that cloud compliance isn’t enough, resilience is key. Having a clear cyber incident response plan helps protect data, maintain trust, and keep operations running when cloud services go down.
Why it matters:
✅ Protection against common cyber threats
✅ Insurance benefits for certified SMEs
✅ Peace of mind for leadership and IT teams
We’re proud to share that Liz is now officially an NCSC Assured Cyber Advisor! This means she’s recognised by the National Cyber Security Centre for her expertise in helping organisations implement the technical controls set out in Cyber Essentials.
As part of the Cyber Advisor scheme, Liz can offer trusted, hands-on support to small and medium-sized organisations looking to strengthen their cyber resilience and reduce the risk of common attacks.
Whether you’re new to Cyber Essentials or due for renewal, we’re here to guide you through it.
Microsoft Secure Score: How Secure Are You?
Microsoft Secure Score gives you a real-time view of your organisation’s security posture. It’s a great way to identify gaps and take action to improve compliance and protection.
At Lugo, we help clients interpret their score and implement best practices to boost it. Want to know your score? Let’s chat.
AI-Driven Ransomware: Why Paying the Ransom Isn’t Working
A recent report from CrowdStrike reveals a troubling trend in cyber security: 93% of ransomware victims lose data even after paying the ransom. The study highlights how AI is accelerating cyber crime, making attacks faster, smarter, and harder to detect.
Key findings include:
- 78% of organisations were hit by ransomware in the past year.
- 83% of those who paid were attacked again.
- Nearly 40% couldn’t fully restore data from backups.
- Only 38% addressed the root cause of their breach, and just 42% improved their incident response plans.
Security teams are struggling to keep pace, with 85% saying traditional detection methods are no longer effective against AI-enhanced threats. The report urges a more strategic approach to cyber security, beyond reactive spending and patching.
“Time is the currency of modern cyber defence – and in today’s AI-driven threat landscape, every second counts.” – Elia Zaitsev, CTO, CrowdStrike
🔗 Read more on DIGIT: 93% of Ransomware Victims Lose Data – Even After Paying
We’d Love Your Feedback
If we’ve helped make your tech life a little easier, we’d love it if you could leave us a quick Google review. It only takes a minute and really helps others find us and trust what we do.
Prosper Data Breach: 176 Million Accounts Exposed
Popular data breach tracker Have I Been Pwned has flagged a major breach involving Prosper, a now-defunct cryptocurrency platform. The breach affects over 176 million accounts, with leaked data including names, emails, dates of birth, and hashed passwords.
Although Prosper shut down in 2022, the breach only came to light recently – highlighting how long data can remain vulnerable after a service ends. It’s a stark reminder to regularly audit old accounts and use unique, strong passwords across platforms.
🔐 Tip: Check your email here to see if you’ve been affected.
How Private Is Your Personal Information?
In a light-hearted but eye-opening video, a coffee shop presents personal details to customers only to reveal that all the information was gathered from their public social media profiles and digital footprints.
While the video is alomst a decade old, its message is more relevant than ever. With 2025 seeing a surge in data breaches and AI-driven cyber crime, it’s a timely reminder that what we share online can be used against us even in ways we don’t expect.
🔐 Key takeaway: Always review your privacy settings, be cautious about what you post, and think twice before sharing personal info online.
🎥 Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrjT8m0hcKU]Youtube
No More Docking Stations? Dell’s Docking Monitors Are Here
Say goodbye to bulky docking stations. Dell’s new docking monitors offer seamless connectivity with just one cable – powering your device and cabled internet access, extending your display, and connecting peripherals all at once.
Perfect for hybrid working setups and reducing desk clutter.
