Whether they’re in-house or hired on a consultancy basis, a one-man band is an appealing idea at an initial glance. One person means simplicity and cheaper running costs, right? Not quite. There are some significant shortcomings when it comes to relying on a single person for such an essential business function. It increases risk and leaves you increasingly reliant on that person.

Cyber insurance is a hot topic. In recent years, cyber security has become a primary concern for small businesses. But is cyber security insurance the right fit for your business and what should you consider before you take the plunge?

Microsoft Defender for Business (MDB) is a new endpoint security solution that is designed specifically for small businesses (up to 300 employees). With this endpoint security solution, your company's devices are better protected from ransomware, malware, phishing, and other threats. It's been available since early March, and it's included within Microsoft's 365 Business Premium Plan.

Social media is a fantastic way to stay in touch and keep up to date on the latest news. However, it’s important to know how to manage the security and privacy settings on your accounts, so that your information remains inaccessible to anyone but you. Revealing too much information online leaves the door open to fraudulent activities. Thanks to stronger security enforcement, you can decide what goes public and what stays private. With in-depth probing of the privacy settings of your social media accounts, you can enjoy a safe online experience.

Following Russia’s further violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the National Cyber Security Centre has called on organisations in the UK to bolster their online defences. The NCSC – which is a part of GCHQ – has urged organisations to follow its guidance on steps to take when the cyber threat is heightened. There is specific support and guidance for organisations of different sizes.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently announced a revamp of their Cyber Essentials program, a Government scheme designed to protect organisations from online security threats. These changes represent the most significant updates to Cyber Essentials since 2014.

For small businesses to survive in an increasingly unpredictable world, they need to prepare for anything that might disrupt their services, whether that’s a cyber-attack such as ransomware, a global pandemic, or even a natural disaster. So, when it comes to the question of business continuity (BC) vs disaster recovery (DR), there are similarities but also some key differences.

Making sure your business follows the various regulatory policies that you need to work with can be challenging. Many companies use Microsoft 365 to work with unstructured personal data that are covered by laws that require your organisation to follow different compliance procedures. This includes responding to regulatory requirements, assessing compliance risks, and governing and protecting sensitive data.

Last year a record number of workers quit their jobs and this trend is set to continue in 2022. Off-boarding ex-employees, though seemingly repetitive, isn’t a small task. Managers might want to clear out old data quickly, whether to free up Microsoft 365 licenses or to make room in their cloud storage. But before rushing to make room for new employees, there are a few important things to consider.

Changes are coming to how Microsoft will sell and bill their cloud subscriptions services such as Microsoft 365. Towards the end of 2021, Microsoft announced changes to the Cloud Solution Provider Program, which has resulted in the first substantial price increase to its licensing programs for over a decade.

Microsoft Teams Essentials is a new standalone version for small businesses This standalone version of Teams competes directly with Zoom Pro at a fraction of the cost.

You may think your business doesn’t need a formal, documented IT security policy. Policies, procedures, documentation and worrying about information security is just for large corporations, right? Think again.