Whew—this week was a humid hurricane of headlines. Windows 11 shipped a hefty Patch Tuesday, OpenAI’s GPT-5 kept stealing the spotlight (and now powers Microsoft Copilot), CISA flagged fresh exploits against remote-management tools, and new “AI PC” hardware is rolling toward stores. We wrapped it all with storm-season advice to keep your electronics safe when the wind howls. Let’s ride the wave, Charleston!

News For The Week:

Windows 11 Patch Tuesday: security fixes land for 23H2 & 24H2

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/august-12-2025-kb5063878-os-build-26100-4946-e4b87262-75c8-4fef-9df7-4a18099ee294
Microsoft’s August cumulative updates (24H2: KB5063878; 23H2: KB5063875) deliver quality and security fixes and a refreshed servicing stack so future updates install reliably. If your PCs run Copilot+ features, expect a few polish passes, too. After patching, reboot and confirm the SSU shows as installed in Update History. Microsoft Support+1

Security outlets counted 100+ vulnerabilities addressed this month—including one publicly disclosed Windows issue—so don’t skip this one. If an update loops or fails, try DISM and SFC before reattempting. BleepingComputer The Hacker News

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GPT-5 arrives—and it’s already live in Microsoft Copilot

https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5/
OpenAI’s GPT-5 focuses on deeper reasoning with better planning and guardrails. For small businesses, that means faster proposals, cleaner SOPs, and more accurate summaries—especially when you feed it your own docs. OpenAI

Microsoft confirmed GPT-5 now powers Copilot across web, Windows, Mac, and mobile—no extra setup needed. Expect smarter replies in Outlook, Teams, and Edge as rollouts propagate. Microsoft

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CISA warns: attacks exploiting N-able N-central flaws spotted the same day patches shipped

https://www.securityweek.com/cisa-warns-of-attacks-exploiting-n-able-vulnerabilities/
If you (or your IT vendor) use N-central for remote management, patch fast—CISA says threat actors began hitting CVE-2025-8875/8876 immediately. Limit admin access to known IPs, enable MFA, and review logs for odd new users or policy changes. SecurityWeek

This is a reminder that RMM tools are high-value targets. Back up config data, rotate credentials, and keep a break-glass plan that lets you manage endpoints if your RMM is down. SecurityWeek

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SonicWall & Akira ransomware: not a new zero-day—patch and lock down WAN management

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/akira-ransomware-abuses-cpu-tuning-tool-to-disable-microsoft-defender/
Recent attacks tied to Akira leverage stale flaws and clever driver abuse to weaken defenses. Update firewall firmware, disable admin access from the internet, rotate VPN creds, and turn on MFA everywhere. BleepingComputer

For desktops, ensure Microsoft Defender’s tamper protection is enabled and that users aren’t running “tuning” tools with kernel-level drivers. Little tweaks can have big consequences. BleepingComputer

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HURRICANE SEASON SPECIAL: Protecting electronics & data when storms threaten

https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
We’re entering the seasonal peak. Start with power: use quality surge protection and a UPS for your modem/router, NAS, and workstation; unplug non-essential gear if evacuation is likely. Keep phones topped up and stash a fully charged power bank per person. Ready

Then protect data: maintain 3-2-1 backups (one off-site or cloud). For home offices, put external drives, routers, and power bricks in sealable plastic bins off the floor; label cables for fast re-setup. Check NOAA’s hurricane prep page and local guidance for timelines. NOAA

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Fresh hardware: Microsoft’s first 5G Surface Laptop ships August 26 (Business)

https://www.windowscentral.com/hardware/surface/surface-laptop-5g-launch-pre-order-now-expensive-intel
Field teams tired of flaky hotspots—this one’s for you. Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 5G (Intel Core Ultra, eSIM/nano-SIM) starts shipping in the U.S. on Aug. 26 with Copilot+-ready AI acceleration. It can even act as its own mobile hotspot. Windows Central

Small firms that upload drawings, photos, or QuickBooks data on the go will appreciate built-in cellular and better antenna design. We’ll help you weigh device + data plan costs against your team’s mobility needs. Thurrott.com

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Storage whopper: SanDisk demos a 256TB NVMe SSD for AI/data-heavy work

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ssds/sandisk-unveils-colossal-new-256tb-ssd-with-new-ultraqlc-flash-memory-enterprise-grade-ssds-for-high-density-storage-also-come-in-128tb
It’s enterprise-only and future-dated, but the 256TB milestone signals cheaper, denser storage ahead for everyone. Expect today’s NAS boxes to feel roomier (and greener) as this tech trickles down. Tom's Hardware

SanDisk’s own release pegs volume timing to the first half of 2026, with energy-saving features for big arrays. Translation: lower rack counts and power bills for the folks running AI and video archives. SanDisk Investor

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Apple patches a zero-day tied to Chrome attacks—update your iPhone & Mac

https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/online-security/apple-issues-security-updates-to-fix-zero-day-flaw-used-in-chrome-attacks-update-your-iphone-and-mac-right-now
Many Charleston homes and offices are mixed Apple/Windows. Apple shipped urgent fixes (iOS/iPadOS/macOS/watchOS/etc.) to close an actively exploited flaw connected to Chrome-targeting campaigns. Update Apple gear and Chrome on every device. Tom's Guide

If you use Apple devices for 2FA, apply updates first, then confirm your backup codes still work and that iCloud Keychain/Password Manager syncs post-update. Tom's Guide

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Entrepreneurs’ corner: grants & disaster loans during storm season

https://www.uschamber.com/co/run/business-financing/small-business-grants-and-programs
The U.S. Chamber’s running list includes monthly micro-grants you can use for essentials like a secure NAS, backup internet, or your first AI PC. Keep an eye on deadlines and set a weekly reminder to scan new listings. U.S. Chamber of Commerce

If severe weather hits, the SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to repair or replace equipment and inventory; FEMA’s latest updates highlight approvals flowing in active disaster zones right now. We can help document gear and quotes to speed applications. FEMA San Antonio Express-News

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Bonus for home-based businesses: 2025 tax law boosts Section 179 write-offs

https://www.grantthornton.com/insights/alerts/tax/2025/insights/obbba-offers-new-ways-to-accelerate-depreciation
The new law increases the Section 179 cap and phase-out thresholds starting in 2025, expanding how much equipment you can expense in year one (think laptops, networking gear, and certain office improvements). Talk to your tax pro before big purchases. Grant Thornton

The IRS has begun posting related updates; bottom line, timing matters—place eligible gear “in service” before year-end to capture deductions. We can help you scope a right-sized hardware plan and keep receipts/reporting tidy. IRS

Windows Tips For The Week:

Patch smarter, not harder. Install KB5063878 (24H2) or KB5063875 (23H2), reboot twice if prompted, then confirm the Servicing Stack entry appears in Update History. Microsoft Support+1
Fix stubborn updates. Open PowerShell as admin → run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, reboot → sfc /scannow → retry Windows Update. BleepingComputer
Ransomware resilience. Enable Controlled Folder Access and ensure Defender Tamper Protection is on; keep admin tools and unsigned drivers off endpoints. BleepingComputer
Mobile work ready. If your team lives in the field, evaluate the Surface Laptop 5G’s built-in cellular against your current hotspot plan before renewal. Windows Central

AI Prompt Ideas:

“Hurricane Ops Playbook Builder (GPT-5).”
You are an operations manager for a small business in Charleston. Create a one-page hurricane operations plan tailored to my company (I’ll provide: team roster, device list, cloud apps, and backup locations). Include: pre-storm checklist (48, 24, 12 hours), ‘go/no-go’ office closure triggers, data-backup steps, power-down order for equipment, customer-communication template, and a post-storm bring-up checklist. Assume internet/cellular may be intermittent.

Storms, patches, grants, and gadgets—tech never sleeps. If you want help hardening Windows 11, choosing an AI-ready laptop, building a hurricane-proof backup plan, or putting GPT-5 to work in your business, Holy City Computer Services is here for you. Call 843-670-4153, email support@holycityit.com, or visit https://www.holycityit.com. We’ll make the tech behave—rain or shine.