Why This Matters NOW

Cyber threats are no longer a distant possibility; they are a daily reality. The increase in the number of attacks has skyrocketed - that’s the only way to describe it.
At Cyberisle 2025, several themes were consistent and clear. One being the risk is real, and it’s only growing. From ransomware to AI-driven attacks, the threats evolve faster than most businesses can keep up. Queue the numerous slides from various presenters of ostriches and heads in the sand.

Don’t be that business.
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the stakes are even higher. Many won’t survive the downtime that comes after a major incident if you aren’t prepared.

The question isn’t if an attack will happen, it’s when. And when it does, will your business be ready? Will you be back up and running in 3 days or 3 months?

7.7 million cyber crimes were experienced by businesses over the past year. That’s around half of all businesses in the UK. Don’t be next.

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Key Insights from Cyberisle

• Half of businesses are attacked.
• One company alone reported over 18,000 failed login attempts in a single month. Do you even know your numbers?
  
• Your data is YOUR responsibility. Outsourcing IT doesn’t outsource accountability. YOU must ensure backups, configurations, and security measures are in place.
  
• AI is a double-edged sword. Hackers are already using AI to launch sophisticated attacks. Are you using AI to defend your business? Be proactive, if you react, you are already too late.
  
• Collaboration is critical. As one speaker said: “Attackers will thank us for not working together.” Building relationships, yes, even with competitors, can make the difference between resilience and disaster. Learning from others' mistakes and sharing yours.
  
• Culture matters. Policies, processes, and practices must be embedded in your organisation. Cybersecurity is a business survival issue. Creating a culture featured heavily.
  
• Compliance and frameworks. From Cyber Essentials v3.2 to IASME and quantum-safe policies, the standards are changing. Are you keeping up?
  
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  What You Can Do Today

The good news? You don’t have to tackle this alone. Here are three steps you can take right now:

1. Review your backup strategy. Do you have air-gapped backups? Are they tested regularly?
2. Check your incident response plan. If you were hit tomorrow, who do you call? Where’s your insurance policy? Is it accessible offline?
3. Assess your security posture. From MFA to vulnerability management, start with the basics and build up.

And remember: being proactive beats being reactive every time. Don’t wait for a breach to start doing the things you know you should have done years ago. This was echoed in an example of a breach. The Business that was breached spent 3 weeks of downtime putting in place something discussed two years previously, but it was never done. Followed by another 6 weeks then building back up. 12 weeks before they back up and running. All the while wishing they had done the investment and the little things all that time ago. Because that investment was minuscule in costs comparative to what was being paid out now.

Build checking the National Cyber Security Centre and Cyber Security Centre for the Isle of Man for updates into your daily routines.
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How Taylored Solutions Can Help

At Taylored Solutions, we believe you can’t secure what you don’t understand. We help businesses:

- Build resilience through policies and processes.
- Implement and maintain certifications.
- Adopt AI responsibly and securely.
- Develop practical, tested disaster recovery and incident response plans.

Ready to take the first step? Let’s start the conversation today. Because the cost of doing nothing is far greater than the cost of being prepared.

Cyber Essentials - NCSC