Welcome to March's Bits & Bytes

Happy Easter! We have a jam-packed, cyber security focused newsletter for you this month that we hope you enjoy before you head off for a well-deserved long weekend of rest and relaxation.

We're hosting an event in April and we'd love for you to attend. Come along and learn how you and your management team can resist cyber incidents intended to knock you off balance, stay for a Two Tribes beer or two, and qualify for a free Risk Assessment!

We're also encouraging all of our readers to take the World Backup Day pledge this March. We've written a short blog on all you need to know to get started with backups - whether it’s photos, documents, or even entire systems, backups serve as your safety net against data loss. Don't leave it to chance!

Last but not least, we're sharing our article on planning your recovery from a cyber attack, including practising your recovery plan, how a recovery mindset leads to peace of mind, and some great starting points if you're not sure where to begin.

You're invited! How small and medium businesses build cyber security resilience..

...with expert speakers Andre Lynch, Laura Wilkinson, and Simon Heath.

We're hosting an event on Thursday 25th April, and you're invited!

This is a free, educational cyber security event in London to help you and your management team resist cyber incidents intended to knock you off balance.

We have three expert speakers to take you through:

• In a serious attack, what should management focus on whilst the techies do their thing?
• Why it’s valuable to have insurance in your corner during the fight.
• Spending wisely on the most relevant technical measures.
• How to give yourself the best chance of losing less data, losing less money, wasting less time and staying in business.

SMBs are increasingly under the microscope with due diligence questions relating to cyber security. You want to have good answers to these questions to build relationships, secure business and qualify for insurance.

When you have a security incident, being able to demonstrate that your actions are congruent with your good intentions builds trust. As the saying goes… Trust arrives on foot, but departs on horseback.

Take the pledge this World Backup Day

The 31^st March is World Backup Day, “a day for people to learn about the increasing role of data in our lives and the importance of regular backups.” With our lives now so intertwined with technology, protecting our digital assets is of utmost importance. In this short article, we’ll explain why it’s crucial you backup your data, give you some options on how you can start, and encourage you to take the pledge this World Backup Day.

Take the pledge.

Planning your recovery from a cyber attack

Often, but not always, I check the fire exit plan on my hotel room door to understand how to get out in the event of a fire.

That's because one night, in San Francisco, I had to evacuate because of a fire. When we saw smoke in the stairwell, we knew this wasn't a drill and making a good decision felt more urgent. What should we do? None of us had looked at the map or knew our options.

Most of us tend to ignore fire drills, signs and extinguishers, but they are worth paying attention to every now and then. If you ever need them for real, being familiar with the detail keeps you calm and gives you options.

Cyber "attacks" are intended to knock us off-balance. Criminals want us chaotic with limited options so that paying a ransom makes sense. Planning and practising how to recover your operations in an emergency helps you take back some control.

Plan your recovery.

Thank you for reading and sharing

Happy Easter. We hope that you have a chance to relax over the long weekend and spend time with your loved ones, and be happy with everything you've achieved now we're at the end of Q1.

Did you know, 'Easter Egg' is a term used to describe an in-joke, insider reference or fun reference that is "hidden" (as in an Easter egg hunt) within software. For example, type "askew" into Google's search box and see what happens... Let us know if you find any more!

Call 020 7572 0000, email or connect with Simon on LinkedIn.