Insights & guidance

Blog

Security news and practical IT guidance for small businesses, from the NightSquawk Tech team.

Daily News

Technology news and what it means for your business.

Oct 14, 2026 Kevin R. Daily News

Claude Max and Team now include monthly API credits

Eligible Claude subscriptions now include a separate budget for API applications. Here is how to claim it, what it covers, and when paying for more seats makes sense.

Photo: Raj Rana

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Daily News

California's New AI-at-Work Laws: What Small Employers Should Inventory Before 2027

California signed three workplace technology laws on September 30 that reach employers of every size: no firing or discipline by software alone starting July 1, 2027, and limits on bathroom surveillance and emotion-reading AI expected from January 1, 2027. What to list now, and who should review automated decisions.

Photo: Ben Moreland

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Daily News

California Narrows One Kind of Website-Tracking Lawsuit. Here Is What SB 690 Does and Does Not Change.

Governor Newsom signed SB 690, which will end private lawsuits under one section of California's privacy law for tracking on websites and apps. Other claims remain, so small businesses with ad pixels and analytics still have work to do.

Google Workspace

News and guidance for the tools your team uses every day.

View all posts

Photo: Valdhy Mbemba

Oct 12, 2026 Kevin R. Google Workspace

Google Meet starts rolling out post-quantum encryption for web and room hardware

Google says post-quantum cryptography is beginning a gradual rollout for Meet on laptop web clients and meeting room hardware. Eligible accounts need no action, while mobile timing remains unspecified.

Photo: Jakub Żerdzicki

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Google Workspace

Google Is Replacing Gemini Gems With Skills. Make a List Before March 2027.

Google says skills will eventually replace Gems in Gemini, and Workspace Studio flows that use an "Ask a Gem" step will stop working no sooner than March 1, 2027. Here are the dates and what to save now.

Photo: Eric Rothermel

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Google Workspace

Google Workspace Will Now Delete Team Calendars When You Delete the Employee Who Owns Them

Google began rolling out a change on October 5, 2026: deleting a Workspace user also deletes the extra calendars they own, such as a shared time-off or service calendar, and suspending a user suspends them. How to find who owns your shared calendars, and the step to add to offboarding.

Cloud Storage

View all posts

Photo: Nick

Oct 12, 2026 Kevin R. Cloud Storage

Ultra.cc’s September 2026 pricing update: what changed for subscribers

A look back at Ultra.cc’s September 2026 storage-pricing announcement, the retired plans, and what its repricing rules meant for existing subscribers.

Cybersecurity

Security updates, vulnerabilities, and steps to protect your business.

View all alerts

Editorial illustration

Oct 11, 2026 Kevin R. Cybersecurity

The Cartoon Network leak: what we know so far

Animation production files are circulating online, but how they were obtained remains unknown. The story is a reason to revisit who can access your own unfinished work and old projects.

Photo: Taylor Vick

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Cybersecurity

U.S. and Allies Say China-Linked Hackers Got In Through Old Software and Guessed Email Passwords

A joint advisory from the FBI, CISA, NSA and partner agencies in six other countries says hackers enabled by a China-based company scanned for years-old flaws, guessed email passwords and hid behind ordinary VPN software. The FBI also seized two of the tools. What a small business should check.

Photo: Valentin Lacoste

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Cybersecurity

Cisco Fixes Critical Flaws Across Meraki Firewalls, Wi-Fi and Switches. Some Fixes Are Still On the Way.

Cisco's October 2026 Meraki Security Hardening Release fixes flaws rated up to 9.6 out of 10 in Meraki security appliances, access points, switches, cameras and gateways. None are known to be exploited, but there is no workaround besides updating.

Microsoft 365

Updates and practical guidance for your Microsoft tools.

View all posts

Photo: Samuel Angor

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Microsoft 365

If Your Team Signs In to Microsoft 365 With a Text Code, You Have Until February 1

Microsoft is retiring its built-in SMS and voice sign-in codes for Entra ID on February 1, 2027. Here is what changes, what it costs to keep text codes, and a four-step plan for a 10 to 50 person business.

Photo: Miguel Ángel Padriñán Alba

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Microsoft 365

Outlook Will Start Blocking MSIX Installer Attachments in November. Check Whether Anyone Relies on Them.

Microsoft says Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows will block .msix and .msixbundle attachments starting in early November 2026. Most businesses need to do nothing, but anyone who emails Windows app packages should plan an alternative.

Photo: Андрей Сизов

Oct 10, 2026 Kevin R. Microsoft 365

Teams Is Turning On File Attachments in Chats With Other Companies. Decide Before Late October.

Starting in late October 2026, Microsoft Teams will add the paperclip and drag-and-drop to chats with people at other organizations, unless an admin has already set the option. Who is affected, how it relates to fake help-desk chats, and the settings to decide on now.

Daily News

Google Workspace

Cloud Storage

Cybersecurity

Microsoft 365

No articles found