Cyber Essentials 6 min
Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus: which one do you need?
A clear side-by-side comparison of scope, evidence and cost — and how to pick the right level.
Blog
The cyber security blog for UK, BVI and USA SMEs.
The cyber security blog for UK, BVI and USA SMEs — straight answers on Cyber Essentials, phishing, ransomware, MDR and cyber insurance, written by the engineers who run our 24/7 UK SOC. No vendor fluff, no scare tactics.
Featured article
FeaturedCyber Essentials 8 min2 Jun 2026
What is Cyber Essentials and do I need it?
A plain-English explainer of the UK's baseline cyber security certification — what it covers, who needs it, and how to know if it's right for your business.
Read articleCyber Essentials
Certification, costs and what UK SMEs need to pass.
Cyber Essentials 7 min
Cyber Essentials in 2026: a plain-English guide for UK SMEs
What the certification actually covers, who needs it and how to prepare without the jargon.
Cyber Essentials 5 min
How much does Cyber Essentials cost in 2026?
Certification fees, hidden remediation costs and what UK SMEs typically pay end-to-end.
Cyber Essentials 6 min
Top 7 reasons UK SMEs fail Cyber Essentials (and how to avoid them)
The recurring gaps assessors flag — patching, MFA, admin accounts — and quick fixes.
Phishing & Email Security
Stop modern phishing with simulation and awareness training.
Phishing & Email Security 9 min
How phishing attacks actually happen (with real examples)
A non-technical walkthrough of how modern phishing lands in UK business inboxes, with real anonymised examples — and what stops them.
Phishing & Email Security 6 min
Phishing attacks explained: a simple guide for non-technical leaders
What phishing looks like in 2026, why filters miss it and the signals to train your team on.
Phishing & Email Security 8 min
10 real phishing examples that fooled UK businesses
Annotated examples of recent attacks targeting UK SMEs — invoices, MFA prompts, supplier spoofs.
Phishing & Email Security 7 min
How to stop phishing in your business: a 30-day plan
Practical steps combining email controls, MFA, training and simulations — week by week.
Ransomware & Threats
Prevent, contain and recover from ransomware attacks.
Ransomware & Threats 9 min
How to protect your business from ransomware in 2026
The controls that actually stop modern ransomware attacks in UK SMEs — explained in plain English, in priority order.
Ransomware & Threats 6 min
What is ransomware? A plain-English guide for UK SMEs
How modern ransomware works, why it targets smaller businesses and what an attack actually looks like.
Ransomware & Threats 8 min
Ransomware prevention: 12 controls every UK SME should have
The controls that stop most attacks — MFA, EDR, backups, segmentation — explained for non-IT leaders.
Ransomware & Threats 7 min
Hit by ransomware? A first 24-hour recovery playbook
What to do, who to call and what not to touch in the first day of a ransomware incident.
Compliance & Risk
Budget, priorities and risk for UK small businesses.
Compliance & Risk 7 min
Where to start with cyber security as an SME in 2026
A pragmatic 5-step roadmap for businesses with no dedicated security team.
Compliance & Risk 6 min
How much should a small business spend on cyber security?
Benchmarks, typical line items and how to build a defensible budget for the board.
Compliance & Risk 6 min
The 5 biggest cyber risks facing UK SMEs right now
Where attacks are actually landing — and the controls that meaningfully reduce risk.
Compliance & Risk 7 min
Cyber insurance for UK SMEs: what underwriters now require
MFA, EDR, backups and training — the controls quietly becoming mandatory at renewal.
Managed Security (EDR/MDR)
Endpoint protection and 24/7 managed detection.
Managed Security (EDR/MDR) 6 min
EDR vs MDR: what's the difference and which do you need?
Tooling vs service, in-house vs outsourced — a clear comparison for UK SME decision makers.
Managed Security (EDR/MDR) 5 min
Do small businesses really need EDR?
Why traditional antivirus no longer cuts it — and when EDR becomes essential.
Managed Security (EDR/MDR) 7 min
MDR demystified: what a real incident looks like end-to-end
A walkthrough of a live MDR investigation, from first alert to contained threat.
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