Macro Systems Blog

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, it’s worth noting that the term "cybersecurity" didn't even enter the common lexicon until the late 1980s. Before that, we just called it "computer security" - mostly involving locking the server room door and hoping nobody guessed the password was "admin."

Fast forward to today, and the game has wildly changed. "Hoping for the best" is no longer a viable business plan. As you prepare your resolutions, it’s time to hit the ground running with a cybersecurity posture that is as modern as the threats we face, a goal that will require training for your entire team.

We know the headache well: that one important, but crusty, legacy application that the business relies on, but the vendor has long since abandoned. It's a non-negotiable part of operations, but it sits on an outdated OS or platform, a massive, blinking security vulnerability in the middle of our network. We can't patch it, and we can't immediately rip and replace it.

So, how do we sleep at night? The answer, increasingly, is via the strategic application of cloud computing. The cloud isn't just about cost savings or scalability; it's a fundamental change in how we manage risk, especially the risk posed by unpatchable, end-of-life (EOL) software.

As a technology aficionado specializing in the rapid evolution of the digital age, I find few sectors as compelling and transformative as the automotive industry. Over the past two decades plus, the automobile has undergone a metamorphosis far beyond mere aesthetic tweaks or incremental engine improvements. We've witnessed a profound digital revolution, turning what was once a purely mechanical marvel into a sophisticated, interconnected, and intelligent machine.

Let's take a drive through the past 25 years highlighting some of the most significant digital innovations that have redefined our relationship with the car.

Good information technology is essential everywhere, including an especially famous operation way up north. We wanted to share a case study, of sorts, to demonstrate why IT management and maintenance are so extremely important.

There are many ways to manage your time for IT, the most common one being 70% of your time on maintenance and 30% on innovation and development. If you want your organization to grow, you need to invert those numbers and do the exact opposite. There’s one simple way you can change up your approach, and it’s not nearly as complicated as you might think.

Do you know what one of the most irritating budgetary issues you have to deal with is? One we've heard about quite a bit is the rush to spend every allocated cent in the IT budget before these funds are redistributed to other departments.

While the instinct is understandable, we want to reinforce that you should never make IT purchases solely to meet a spending benchmark. Instead, all invested funds should be directed so that you see returns.

The scariest online threats are the ones you don't even see coming. Picture this: a hacker tricks one of your employees with a clever phishing email, steals their username and password, and just walks right into your network. No alarms, no warning. 

The good news is there's a simple fix that can make a huge difference: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Just setting this up is one of the biggest steps you can take to make your business much safer and a lot less likely to suffer a catastrophic cybersecurity breach.

The holiday season can be a busy and lucrative time for businesses, but that’s only if your network can handle the increased traffic. A network that stumbles under the weight of more traffic than usual can cost you in sales. How do you address this issue so you don’t miss opportunities to make money?

You can start with these five strategies listed below.

Passwords are effectively the cornerstone of your business’ data security; if they aren’t up to muster, your protections could crumble. Alas, many users shortchange their passwords to try to make them more convenient, also making them more convenient for cybercriminals. Listed below: how we can make passwords as effective as possible.

Did you know that, in physics, regardless of how much time, sweat, and energy you put into pushing a boulder, if it doesn’t move, the “work done” is seen as zero? The same is true in business… at the end of the day, your investment in your organization and its people is only worthwhile if you see results.

Thus, you need to ask yourself: how much work are your team members actually getting done? Are they moving the boulder, or are they just trying a lot but not actually making any progress? Below we examine what often leads to this kind of stagnant struggle and how you can fix it.

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself if the person you’re talking to on the phone is an AI system or an actual human being? It’s expected that in 2026, you’ll be asking this question a lot more, especially with the rise of agentic AI. This development takes the vulnerability that already exists in your human infrastructure and attempts to make it impossible to stop. Below we’ll explore agentic AI, what it looks like, and what you can do to put a stop to it in the years to come.

If you want to impress the boss, it helps to make yourself look as impressive as possible. One way to do this is to be especially engaged and responsive in your email practices… and to accomplish this, it helps to keep your inbox organized and managed.

Listed below are some simple tips that you can use to show off how professional you are with your emails as you use Gmail.

We’re sure at some point you’ve used the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” especially in regards to your IT. While it might feel responsible and safe to stick to this motto as much as possible, there will come a time when it becomes dangerous to hold fast to it. In fact, business technology professionals might even call this motto irresponsible. Here’s why.

When it comes to cybersecurity, the most critical aspect is usually pushed aside in favor of solutions that are easier to control, like firewalls, encryption, and modern detection and response tools. That being said, the biggest and perhaps most imperative factor affecting your business’ security is, in fact, its people. No matter who you are, it only takes one accidental click to send your network spiraling into chaos, and even the most well-intentioned employees can wreak havoc under the right circumstances.

While you’re busy shoring up your cybersecurity measures, it’s worth asking what you’re doing about physical security breaches. Considering the risk they pose to your employees, data, and equipment, you shouldn’t leave this issue unaddressed. Any small business owner should strive for the peace of mind that physical security can bring about.

How many employees do you have who keep your organization's passwords on sticky notes stuck to their monitors? This simple, seemingly benign trick could be putting your business at risk. After all, if you can see the password on a sticky note, so too can others who happen to be wandering around the office, including potential threat actors.

Business technology is the foundation of modern enterprises, imperative for growth and competitive advantage. That being said, many businesses fall into a critical trap: becoming too attached to their initial technology investments, even when they've become a liability.

Clutter accumulates everywhere: the household junk drawer, an employee’s car, and yes, even your business’ network. In your business network, this clutter is called “digital cruft” and can lead to some serious problems if you aren’t careful.

One of the most popular criticisms of generative AI tools is that they often “hallucinate,” or make up information, making them a bit unreliable for certain high-stakes tasks. To help you combat hallucinations, we recommend you try out the following tips in your own use of generative AI. You might find that you get better, more reliable outputs as a result.

Adopting smart office technology—from connected lighting and thermostats to sophisticated monitoring sensors—can enhance your workspace, offering efficiency and a modern aesthetic. Yet, as IT experts, we must guide you past the shiny facade to confront a critical reality: every new smart device is a potential gateway for cyber threats.

You should not have to sacrifice security for the sake of being "high-tech." That being said, implementing these solutions without a robust security strategy is a risky gamble.