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.
Microsoft Accidentally Nukes Copilot – Because Of Course They Did
Just when you thought Microsoft couldn't top their Exchange meltdown, they go full send and accidentally delete their own AI assistant from Windows 11. No warning, no prompt—just poof. Gone. It's as if someone at Redmond duct-taped down the ‘F**k Around and Find Out’ button and walked away.
What’s next? Windows Update deciding Task Manager is ‘problematic’? Edge forcibly replacing all your passwords with ‘BingLovesYou123’? Buckle up—because this one’s a mess. Read on and prepare to rage.
Microsoft Exchange Online: How the Actual F*!# Do You Break Email for a Week?
For seven excruciating days, Microsoft completely broke email transport, crippling businesses worldwide. A botched update turned the simplest, most stable IT function into a flaming dumpster fire, leaving users helpless while Microsoft sat in silence for three days before admitting anything was wrong.
How do you screw up SMTP, MAPI, and basic email delivery in 2025? How does a trillion-dollar company make email less reliable than it was in the 1980s? And more importantly—why should you still trust Microsoft 365 after this catastrophic f*-up? Buckle up, we’re diving in!
⚠️ 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.