The Small Business
Cyber Security Guy
Welcome to my blog and podcast, where I share brutally honest views, sharp opinions, and lived experience from four decades in the technology trenches. Whether you're here to read or tune in, expect no corporate fluff and no pulled punches.
Everything here is personal. These are my thoughts, not those of my employer, clients, or any poor soul professionally tied to me. If you’re offended, take it up with me, not them.
What you’ll get here (and on the podcast):
Straight-talking advice for small businesses that want to stay secure
Honest takes on cybersecurity trends, IT malpractice, and vendor nonsense
The occasional rant — and yes, the occasional expletive
War stories from the frontlines (names changed to protect the spectacularly guilty)
I've been doing this for over 40 years. I’ve seen genius, idiocy, and everything in between. Some of it makes headlines, and most of it should.
This blog and the podcast is where I unpack it all. Pull up a chair.
Cybersecurity Is Not Optional: How a £60K Fine Just Woke Up Small Law Firms
Think your law firm is too small for hackers to bother with? DPP Law thought so too—right up until they faced a £60,000 fine and a public shaming after a catastrophic cyber attack. A single unsecured admin account was all it took to unleash chaos.
No MFA, no breach reporting, no chance. If you are still relying on luck instead of basic cyber hygiene, you are playing a dangerous game with your clients’ trust—and your firm’s future. Cyber Essentials is the starting line, not the victory lap. How much will you lose before you wake up?
Marks & Spencer Cyberattack: Why Your Click & Collect Order is Missing and Your Contactless Card is Crying
Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar Have Been Taken Hostage – And Yes, This Is Real Life
Marks & Spencer has confirmed it’s the latest victim of a cyberattack, but forget dull technical jargon — the internet’s gone wild over rumours that iconic treats Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar are caught in the digital crossfire.
With contactless payments down and click-and-collect orders delayed, shoppers have been left confused, furious, and Colin-less.
Was it ransomware? A supply chain hit? Or just a catastrophic IT whoopsie? We’ve dug into the timeline, the fallout, and the very British drama that is a cake and a pig caught in cyber limbo.
Snap, Crackle, Compromise: How Kellogg's Quietly Served Up Employee Data to Hackers
Think your breakfast is safe? Think again. WK Kellogg Co.—yes, the cereal giant—just had employee data spilled thanks to a third-party software breach. Hackers from the Clop ransomware gang waltzed in via Cleo’s "secure" file transfer platform and helped themselves to names, addresses, and Social Security numbers.
It’s another textbook example of supply chain negligence dressed up as digital transformation.
If your business relies on vendors without grilling their security, you might as well start pouring milk on your firewall and calling it breakfast. Here's how it happened—and why it should scare the cereal out of you.
⚠️ Full Disclaimer
This is my personal blog. The views, opinions, and content shared here are mine and mine alone. They do not reflect or represent the views, beliefs, or policies of:
My employer
Any current or past clients, suppliers, or partners
Any other organisation I’m affiliated with in any capacity
Nothing here should be taken as formal advice — legal, technical, financial, or otherwise. If you’re making decisions for your business, always seek professional advice tailored to your situation.
Where I mention products, services, or companies, that’s based purely on my own experience and opinions — I’m not being paid to promote anything. If that ever changes, I’ll make it clear.
In short: This is my personal space to share my personal views. No one else is responsible for what’s written here — so if you have a problem with something, take it up with me, not my employer.