Mark Smith, chief information officer at Streets, considers the importance of cybersecurity as it transitions from an IT department issue to one everyone must consider. In today’s tech-enabled world, we can get complacent about safety. Cars automatically stop us from hitting that fox that jumped out in front of us, smartwatches warn us to take a rest and our house alarm detects the sound of breaking glass outside. These advancements are amazing, genuinely saving lives and making our lives easier, allowing us to spend more time doing what we enjoy. Most of us use this technology for its intended purpose, there are however people out there who see it as an opportunity to commit cybercrime and cause massive disruption or misery for others. There have been incidents where baby monitors were hacked and used to spy on families to facilitate extortion, or a smart fish tank heater being compromised to steal thousands of megabytes of personal data from a casino. Both happened simply because people didn’t run the update they were prompted to install. It’s easy to forget that anything and anyone can be targeted, but that doesn’t mean we need to fear new technologies. We just need to be more aware of the risks around cybersecurity, both at work and at home with our friends and family. I am a firm believer that good cyber awareness starts at home. If you make sure your parents, your children and yourself update iPhones, Android phones and laptops when prompted, use a strong unique password for emails and set up multi-factor authentication, it makes you, your friends, family and colleagues more cyber-aware both at home and at work. So, why does this matter anyway? Cybersecurity used to be just an IT issue, but now it’s everyone’s issue and a business-critical priority. While technology plays a vital role in defending against attacks, the human factor often remains the weakest link. Of course, your IT team still needs to invest in modern email scanning, advanced malware protection and either have the skills in-house or a managed security team to help when (and I do mean when, not if) someone tries to get in. However, if we all just rely on technology to protect us, we are still risking reception giving someone that front door key. Creating a cyber-aware culture starts with education. Staff need to understand not only the “how” but also the “why” behind cybersecurity practices. Regular education on identifying malicious emails, using strong passwords and reporting suspicious activity is essential. There’s a reason why you constantly hear the “See it. Say it. Sorted” message from the British Transport Police when on the train. The earlier threats are identified, the quicker they can be stopped and the damage limited. Over the last decade, we have seen a shift in how cyber-attacks often start. Now they are often more opportunistic, trying to work their way up the food chain until they can catch a big fish. Of course, the large, targeted attacks still regularly happen, but most of us are far less likely to be a victim of one of these. That’s why attackers are often now just after our passwords to try to get into a system and work their way up, either inside the organisation or higher up the supply chain. That’s why it is so important to protect our security identity as much as we possibly can. Education plays a huge part in this, but technology can help a lot these days. There are multiple suppliers who can monitor who is using your login to access your email, your files, or third-party systems and look for suspicious activity. They can automatically identify anomalies in how your login is being used and block access even before an attack has happened. Were you logging into your email from Bristol 2 minutes ago, but now you are in China trying to access secure files and starting to upload information to an external sharing site? These tools proactively monitor your systems 24/7 and respond automatically, keeping you safe while your friendly IT team is fast asleep. We are now seeing that cybersecurity isn’t just being seen as a cost, but an investment in business continuity and client trust. The reputational damage from a breach can be far more costly than any security measure and the mental toll of dealing with identify fraud and personal financial loss can be far reaching. As the M&S incident demonstrates, the financial impact can be catastrophic, but the erosion of customer confidence can have even longer-lasting consequences. In an age where technology shields us from physical harm and streamlines daily life, it’s easy to overlook the growing threat of cybercrime. Just as we diversify investments and monitor financial risks to protect our wealth, we must treat cybersecurity as a form of digital asset management. After all, safeguarding your identity and data is not just about IT—it’s about preserving trust, continuity and long-term financial health.   See this column in the October issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.

Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, explains why he created an AI clone. Apparently, someone’s tried to impersonate me on Instagram. Flattering? Maybe. Accurate? Not even close. Here’s how you can tell a fake me from the real one: The fake one is all buzzwords, hustle, and motivational quotes. The real one talks about timing, tension, and how to actually land a story that gets published. The fake me drops emojis. The real me drops press coverage. It did get me thinking though…if someone’s going to try and clone me — they might as well do it properly. So, I cloned myself. No ring light. No ego. Just 20 years of PR insight crammed into a little AI called Dr Spin. Why I did it Because I’m fed up of watching actual experts miss out on press coverage whilst loud-but-lightweight ‘personal brands’ take up all the space. Real founders. Real businesses. Real stories. Ignored — not because they’re not good enough…but because they’re not prepared enough. They think PR is about being famous. Or about having a flashy logo, a big team, or a blue tick. It’s not. Journalists want experts, not egos. They want stories, not slogans. They want relevance, not reach. And you — the business owner who’s actually doing the work — already have what they’re looking for. You just need to package it properly. That’s what I help people do. And that’s what Dr Spin is trained to help you practice. I built him because so many of you told me the same things: “I don’t know what makes a good story.” “I don’t feel big enough for the media to care.” “I don’t know how to pitch without sounding desperate.” So here’s what I’ve been telling them — and now, so can he:

1. Start with what’s different

Not your entire origin tale. Just one clear, timely angle that solves a problem or reframes an issue.

2. Show results, not reach

Followers are not the metric here. Impact is. What changed because of what you did?

3. Be findable, helpful and human

Journalists don’t need perfection — they need clarity and confidence. Make it easy to say yes.

4. Lead with insight, not ego

What do you know that most people don’t? That’s your story. The rest is noise.

5. Make your soundbite your superpower

Practice saying smart things in short, sharp ways. That’s what gets you quoted. Try it. Then try pitching. Dr Spin isn’t a gimmick. He’s not a hype machine. He’s my best advice, distilled into something you can test and apply today — even if you’ve never pitched a journalist in your life. Use him to practise your angle. Use him to check if your story’s press-worthy. Use him to feel like you’ve got this, before you hit send on a pitch. Try it now while it’s still free: https://pressforattention.com/chat-with-dr-spin/ Because if someone’s going to clone me, it might as well be me — and it might as well help you get featured.   A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press For Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective. See this column in the October issue of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.