IT Support That Just Works, for Long Island & NYC Businesses

Town halls, villages, counties and special districts across New York all face the same growing challenge. They manage sensitive resident information, financial records, public safety systems and critical infrastructure, often with limited budgets and small IT teams. That combination makes local governments an attractive target for cybercriminals.

The good news: one of the most effective defenses is also one of the most affordable. It starts with your people.

New York State Offers Cybersecurity Training for Local Governments

To help close the gap, the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) makes cybersecurity awareness training available to local governments across the state. The program was originally built for New York State employees and has been extended to municipal workforces.

The online course helps employees understand security requirements, spot threats and vulnerabilities, recognize social engineering tactics and understand their role in protecting government information. It includes interactive exercises and takes about 25 minutes to complete. The state’s training portal also points to additional resources from organizations such as CISA, FEMA, SANS, Cybrary and the U.S. Cyber Challenge.

For a small municipality, that’s a valuable, low-cost starting point. Learn more about the program on the New York State ITS website.

The Human Factor Is Still the Biggest Risk

Municipalities invest in firewalls, endpoint protection, email security and backups. Yet many successful cyberattacks still begin with a simple human mistake: a clicked link, a reused password or a convincing phone call. Common threats facing local governments include:

• Phishing emails that steal passwords or install malware
• Business email compromise, such as fake vendor payment or wire requests
• Ransomware that locks up systems and data
• Credential theft leading to unauthorized access
• Social engineering by phone, text or in person
• Unsafe remote work practices

Why Local Governments Are Being Targeted

Municipalities hold a wide range of sensitive information, including resident records, tax and financial data, utility and public works information, emergency response details, employee records and public safety systems.

A successful attack can disrupt public services, create compliance problems and erode residents’ trust. That’s why cybersecurity awareness training is no longer just an IT project. It’s a business continuity, risk management and public service responsibility.

Training Works Best as Part of a Larger Security Plan

Security awareness training is most effective when it’s paired with strong technical protections. Every municipality should also consider:

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): stops most attacks that rely on stolen passwords
• Endpoint detection and response (EDR): spots suspicious activity on computers before it becomes a major incident
• Email security: advanced filtering to catch phishing before it reaches inboxes
• Backup and recovery: regular backups of critical data, with recovery procedures that are actually tested
• Incident response planning: a documented plan for how incidents are reported, contained and resolved
• Ongoing education: regular training and phishing simulations, because awareness isn’t a one-time event

The message for local government leaders is simple: cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. Technology alone can’t stop every threat, and a security-aware workforce is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce risk.

A Real Example From a New York Village

TCI recently helped a New York village government take a proactive approach to cybersecurity. Starting with a risk assessment, vulnerability scans and penetration testing, the village then added managed threat detection, firewall and email security, staff security awareness training and Microsoft 365 backup. Read the village government case study.

How TCI Technologies Helps Local Governments

TCI works with towns, villages, counties and public-sector organizations across New York to strengthen cybersecurity, modernize infrastructure and keep services running. Our IT services for state and local government include:

• Cybersecurity risk assessments
• Managed detection and response (MDR)
• Security awareness training and phishing simulations that build on the state’s program
• Email security and anti-phishing protection
• Microsoft 365 security and compliance
• Backup and disaster recovery
• Incident response planning
• Network and infrastructure modernization

By combining technology, policy and employee education, local governments can better protect critical systems and keep delivering the services their communities depend on.

Is Your Municipality Prepared?

Find out where you stand. Take our free Cybersecurity Risk Assessment to get your Security Readiness Score, or learn more about our IT services for state and local government. Prefer to talk? Call us at (516) 484-5151.

Microsoft’s October 2026 Windows update arrived on Tuesday, October 13, and for businesses it’s more than a routine round of patches. This month brings two things worth your attention: important Windows security fixes, and a firm deadline for organizations still running Windows 11 version 24H2 on Home or Pro editions.

Here’s what the update means for your business, and what you should do next.

What Microsoft Released on October 13

October 13 was Microsoft’s monthly Patch Tuesday, when it releases security and quality updates for Windows, Microsoft 365 and other products. These updates close vulnerabilities that attackers could use to take over a computer, steal data or spread through a network.

Microsoft’s October 2026 security updates address CVE-2026-96951, a Windows Shell security feature bypass vulnerability that Microsoft has confirmed is being actively exploited. The vulnerability can allow an attacker to evade Windows Mark of the Web (MOTW) protections, reinforcing the importance of keeping business Windows devices current with Microsoft security updates.

Why This Windows Security Update Matters

When Microsoft confirms that a vulnerability is being actively exploited, applying the fix promptly becomes especially important. Attackers often look for organizations that haven’t yet installed available security updates, so delays can increase your risk.

For a business, an unpatched computer isn’t just one person’s problem. A single compromised laptop can be the entry point for ransomware, stolen credentials or a breach that affects your clients. That’s why getting security updates installed quickly, on every device, matters so much.

Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro Have Reached End of Support

October 13, 2026 was also the end of servicing for Windows 11 version 24H2 on Home and Pro editions. Microsoft supports each Windows 11 feature update for a set period, and for Home and Pro editions of 24H2, that period is now over.

In practical terms, computers running Windows 11 24H2 Home or Pro no longer receive monthly security updates. Future vulnerabilities, including ones being actively exploited, won’t be patched on those machines. To keep receiving security updates, they need to move to Windows 11 version 25H2.

Many small and mid-sized businesses run Windows 11 Pro, so this deadline is likely to affect some of your computers, especially any that were set to postpone feature updates or haven’t been checked in a while.

Enterprise and Education Editions Are Different

It’s important to be precise here: Windows 11 24H2 isn’t unsupported everywhere. Microsoft gives Enterprise and Education editions a longer support window, and 24H2 Enterprise and Education remain supported until October 12, 2027.

So the question isn’t just “Are we on 24H2?” It’s “Which edition of 24H2 are we on?” A business with a mix of Pro and Enterprise licenses could have some computers that are covered and others that aren’t.

How to Check Which Windows 11 Version You’re Running

You can check any computer in under a minute:

1. Press the Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter. The window that opens shows your Windows version (for example, 24H2 or 25H2).
2. For the edition, go to Settings → System → About and look under Windows specifications, where you’ll see Home, Pro, Enterprise or Education.

If a computer shows Windows 11 Pro or Home, version 24H2, it should be updated to 25H2 as soon as possible.

Checking one computer is easy. Checking every computer in your organization, and making sure none are missed, is where most businesses run into trouble.

Why Businesses Shouldn’t Ignore Windows Update Management

Leaving updates to individual employees usually means some computers fall behind. Common problems include:

• Updates postponed indefinitely because someone clicked “remind me later”
• Feature updates blocked by old settings or compatibility issues nobody noticed
• Remote and traveling employees whose laptops rarely connect long enough to update
• No central view of which computers are patched and which aren’t
• Older hardware that can’t run the latest version and needs to be replaced

Unmanaged updates also create risk for cyber insurance. Many insurers now ask how quickly you apply security patches, and “we hope employees install them” isn’t a good answer.

How TCI Manages Windows Updates, Security and Lifecycle Planning

At TCI Technologies, Windows updates are part of how we manage our clients’ technology every day, not something left to chance:

• Centralized patch management, so security updates are tested, scheduled and installed across every computer
• Feature update planning to move devices from 24H2 to 25H2 before support deadlines, with minimal disruption to your team
• Device management with Microsoft Intune, including Windows Update rings and compliance policies that flag devices that fall behind
• Reporting that shows which computers are current and which need attention
• Lifecycle planning to identify older computers that need replacing before they become a security risk
• Layered cybersecurity, so patching is backed by endpoint protection, email security and monitoring

Our Quantum Managed IT Plans include this kind of ongoing management, so you don’t have to track Microsoft’s calendar yourself.

Schedule an IT & Cybersecurity Review with TCI

Not sure which versions your computers are running, or whether your updates are actually being installed? TCI can review your environment, identify devices affected by the 24H2 Home and Pro deadline, and help you put a reliable update process in place.

Request a free IT assessment, or take our free Cybersecurity Risk Assessment to get your Security Readiness Score. Prefer to talk? Call us at (516) 484-5151.