Cyber Security

From 11 September 2026, new CRA reporting duties begin for in-scope organisations. For UK businesses that manufacture, import, distribute or sell connected hardware, software and digital products into the EU market, this is an important date to have on the radar. The Cyber Resilience Act is designed to make cyber security a core part of…

The Beacon CRM cyber incident has put supplier risk back on the agenda for UK charities, SMEs, non-profits and any organisation that relies on third-party platforms to store personal or business-critical data. Beacon CRM cyber incident: what happened? Beacon CRM is a customer relationship management platform widely used by UK charities. Public reporting says an…

Microsoft is officially ending extended support for SQL Server 2016 in July 2026, and SQL Server 2017 is ending extended support in October 2027. Businesses that still use either of these SQL Servers will face various risks beyond losing updates if they don’t act now. The landscape of cyber threats is growing and businesses are…

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recently put out information and warnings regarding the increasing threat of cyber attacks for UK organisations, as there are growing concerns around hacktivist attacks, mostly on SMEs. The warning comes as the UK Government continues to strengthen its wider resilience strategy through the Resilience Action Plan, recognising cyber…

Optimising IT is happy to announce our renewal for Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification.  Maintaining these certifications is a big priority for us, and we put it down to our amazing team who prioritise cyber security for our own operations as well as our clients, continually setting the right standards to improve risk…

Online security has never been more prevalent due to the variety of cyber threats the public and businesses need to look out for. Except, spotting most threats isn’t that seemingly obvious because attackers are finding smarter, more subtle ways to implement malware or steal personal information. Passwords have been one of the weakest points in…

Businesses across a wide range of sectors are now using artificial intelligence (AI) tools and software everyday. It seems we can’t escape the technology now it is being backed by the government for certain uses, but many businesses are using it without proper control or concern about the security risks it poses. Shadow AI is…

Social engineering involves the use of psychological pressure to influence people to perform actions or give up confidential information. In the cyber security realm, attackers are using a wide range of social engineering tactics to influence individuals at home and at work to take an action that may or may not be in their best…

Hybrid cloud security is the framework of controls, governance and technologies used to protect data, applications and infrastructure across a mixed IT real estate – typically combining onsite systems, private cloud and public cloud platforms. For most organisations, hybrid is now their standard operating model. While legacy systems often remain onsite, Microsoft 365 and Azure…

Let’s be honest, cyber security conversations can feel a bit like weather forecasts in November. Lots of talk about change, a few serious warnings, and you’re left staring at the umbrella rack thinking, “Do I actually need this right now?” In 2026, cyber threats aren’t lining up outside your business with flashing signs. They’re a…

Cyber Essentials has been due for a refresh. Not because the framework has fallen behind, but because the way we all work has changed faster than the rulebook. Cloud apps are everywhere, and hybrid working has become the norm for a lot of businesses. So, from April 2026, Cyber Essentials is getting a meaningful overhaul.…