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⭐100K+ Monthly Downloads ⭐Top 20 Apple Management

The Small

Business

Cyber Security Guy

Welcome to the blog and podcast, where we 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 and the team’s thoughts, opinions forged in the heat of battle! And not those of our employers, clients, or any other professional with whom we are associated.

If you’re offended, take it up with us, 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 are where we break it all down.

Grab a coffee and pull up a chair, you need to see this!

Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message. Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message.
Stop the Security Industry Bullshit. Wear Your Message.
Industry Analysis Lucy Harper Industry Analysis Lucy Harper

The Certificate That Made Things Worse: A Cyber Essentials Scope Drift Case Study

By the time anyone at Meridian Advisory noticed the problem, their Cyber Essentials certificate had been renewed four times.

Each renewal had covered the same carefully defined scope: two office servers, the on-premises file share, and about fifteen managed laptops.

By 2025, the actual business ran on Microsoft 365, a cloud-based CRM, a remote project management platform, and a VOIP system. None of those were in scope.

When a credential-based breach exposed client financial data held in the CRM, the certificate did not protect them. It gave the ICO a very interesting set of questions to start with.

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⚠️ Full Disclaimer

This is my personal blog. The views, opinions, and content shared here are mine and any contributors and ours alone. They do not reflect or represent the views, beliefs, or policies of:

  • Our Day Job employers

  • Any current or past clients, suppliers, or partners

  • Any other organisation We 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 we mention products, services, or companies, that’s based purely on our own experiences and opinions — We are not being paid to promote anything. If that ever changes, we’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.