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Track 6: London Calling, The Clash (1979)

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2/10/25

Track 6

Cyber Skool Rools

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Track 6: London Calling, The Clash (1979)

The wake-up call: threats are real and here!

London is calling, and it’s not to remind you about your MOT.  It’s the wake-up call you’ve been ignoring.  Phishing. Supply chain hacks. Ransomware.  It’s all here, mate, and it doesn’t care that you’re “just a small business.”

The Clash warned of apocalypse, but cyber’s version is less nuclear winter and more “oops, our customer list is on Telegram.”

Gen X grew up answering landlines without caller ID, how did we survive?  Sometimes it was your mate, sometimes it was a salesman.   Today, it’s the same, every “call” could be friend or foe.  Resilience means treating every one like The Clash, suspicious, urgent, and loud.

London’s calling.  The question is, are you answering with resilience, or just hitting snooze?

London’s call, the hackers are stalling!

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Track 5: Another One Bites the Dust, Queen (1980)

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1/10/25

Track 5

Cyber Skool Rools

Track 5: Another One Bites the Dust, Queen (1980)

Don’t let ransomware take you down

That bass line? Iconic.  But when your business is hit by ransomware, the tune is more funeral march than stadium anthem.

Another one bites the dust because they didn’t have backups.  Or an incident response plan.  Or because Karen clicked on “free gift card.”  Don’t be Karen.

Gen X has seen enough horror movies to know, if you trip, you’re done.  Resilience means being the one who doesn’t trip. Backup everything.  Test recovery.  Drill incident plans until your staff can run them half-asleep (because, let’s face it, they probably will be).

Cyber doesn’t care if you’re Queen or a one-man band, if you’re unprepared, you’re toast.  Resilience isn’t glamorous, but neither is being the SMB equivalent of a VH1 “Behind the Breach” episode.

Ramones

Track 4: I Wanna Be Sedated, Ramones (1978)

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30/09/25

Track 4

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Track 4: I Wanna Be Sedated, Ramones (1978)

Don’t snooze on patching, stay fast, stay sharp

Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go, and your server still isn’t patched.  That’s how it ends, folks.

The Ramones never did slow.  Two minutes, three chords, done.  That’s how you should treat patching.  Fast. Relentless.  No excuses.  Because sedated is exactly how hackers like you, asleep at the wheel, ignoring updates, clicking “remind me later” until the wheels come off.

Gen X knows procrastination, we invented it. Cyber doesn’t wait.  That “remind me later” button might as well say, “hack me tomorrow.”

Resilience is about staying awake.  Patch like the Ramones played, loud, fast, no nonsense.  Sedation is for after the gig, not for your network.

 

Track 3 Bowie Heroes

Track 3: Heroes, David Bowie (1977)

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29/09/25

Track 3: Heroes, David Bowie

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Track 3: Heroes, David Bowie (1977)

Training turns staff into cyber heroes

“We can be heroes… just for one day.”  David Bowie wasn’t talking about your receptionist spotting a phishing email, but he might as well have been.

Cyber heroes aren’t born in capes, they’re made in training sessions.  One bored click on a dodgy link and your “ordinary staff member” becomes the reason you’re explaining to clients why their data’s on the dark web.  But give them training?  Suddenly they’re blocking attacks faster than Ziggy Stardust strummed a chord.

Gen X loved a montage.  Think Rocky running up the steps, or The Karate Kid waxing cars.  Training works the same way, repetitive, boring, but when the big fight comes, you’re ready.

Every employee can be a hero if they know what to look for.  Don’t rely on IT to catch everything, every employee is the 1st line of defense, resilience is a team sport.  With Bowie blasting in the background, remind your staff, one smart click makes a hero.  One dumb click makes a headline!

Track 2 The Doors Break On Through

Track 2: Break on Through – The Doors (1967)

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28/09/25

Track 2

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Break on Through, The Doors (1967)

Hackers love to break through, don’t let them

Jim Morrison wanted to break on through to the other side.  Hackers are humming the same tune, except the “other side” is your customer data, payroll systems, and anything else they can ransom back to you.

Here’s the deal, every weak password, every out-of-date system, every bored intern with admin rights is a door.  And hackers?  They’ve got a crowbar collection that would make ToolTime Tim jealous! (Who remembers ToolTime Tim?)

Gen X remembers when doors had actual keys, not apps.  You locked them.  Simple.  Cyber is no different, MFA, patching, and least-privilege access are your locks.  Without them, you’re basically leaving the spare key under the mat with a sign saying, “Help yourself.”

Resilience is about expecting someone to rattle the handle.  So make your doors sturdy.  Deadbolt them. For crying out loud, stop using “Password123.” Jim Morrison might have wanted chaos, but your business doesn’t.

Track 1 gimme-shelter-single

Track 1: Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones (1969)

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27/09/25

Track 1

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Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones (1969)

Build your cyber shelter with firewalls & backups

Mick Jagger sang it best, “It’s just a shot away.”  For SMBs, that shot isn’t a hurricane or war, it’s a phishing email, a dodgy USB stick, or Dave in Accounts clicking on “urgent invoice.pdf.”

Shelter isn’t just a roof over your head anymore.  Your cyber shelter is built out of firewalls, MFA, and a decent backup plan.  Without it, you’re basically standing in the digital rain with a leaky umbrella, wondering why your data’s floating downstream.

Gen X grew up making forts out of sofa cushions and old duvets.  Same principle applies here, you don’t just build a shelter for fun, you build it because your little brother (read: hackers) is definitely going to try and knock it down.

Backups are the sleeping bag in your fort, they keep you safe when everything else collapses.  Firewalls?  That’s the blanket over the entrance.  Not glamorous, but it keeps the bad stuff out.

Cyber resilience means not waiting until the storm hits to start hammering up boards.  Build your shelter now. 

Because in cyber, the rain doesn’t just fall, it floods.

Born to run

Cyber Skool Rools, The Reasons Why

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26/09/25

Cyber Skool Rools

The Reasons Why

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Drop the Needle and Pray

Back in the 70s and 80s, putting on a record wasn’t background noise, it was a ritual.  You dropped the needle, listened to the crackle, and prayed the song would hit you like nothing else.  For some of us, that moment was Springsteen’s Born to Run.  Drop the needle and pray,  that was the hope, the escape, the act of faith.

Cyber resilience works the same way.

If you’re a Gen X SMB owner, you remember when “IT support” meant smacking the side of the printer, when backups were photocopies stuffed in a filing cabinet, and when firewalls were literally made of bricks.  You built businesses without Wi-Fi, cloud storage, or MFA. And somehow, you made it work.

But today?  Hackers don’t care that you survived dial-up, floppy disks, or Betamax.  They care that you’re still running a business, that you’re stretched thin, and that you still think cyber is “for the big guys.”  That makes you their easiest target.

That’s why I built Cyber Skool Rools.

Not a whitepaper. Not a lecture. A mixtape. Twelve classic Gen X tracks, Stones, Bowie, Blondie, The Clash, Springsteen, Survivor, even Miami Vice cool, each one re-spun into a cyber lesson.  Loud.  Nostalgic.  No nonsense.

Tomorrow we drop the first of twelve daily tracks. One song. One lesson. Direct and unforgettable.

Cyber Skool Rools isn’t about fear (though it might give you a jolt).   It’s about resilience. It’s about survival.  It’s about keeping your business alive when the music stops.

So here’s the deal:
Drop the needle.
Pray if you want.
But this time? Be ready.

Cyber Skool Rools. Dropping tomorrow.

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AI, Supply Chains, and the New Reality of Cyber Resilience

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AI, Supply Chains, and the New Reality of Cyber Resilience

Every SMB owner I have spoken to lately is asking the same thing: “What’s the biggest cyber risk we should be watching right now?”

The truth?  It’s not just one.  Two issues are dominating the resilience landscape today, and they’re hitting SMBs as hard as the big players:

AI-Powered Scams

Generative AI isn’t just making life easier for your marketing team, it’s also turbo-charging cybercrime.

  • Phishing emails no longer look like they came from a dodgy hotmail account.  They’re polished, localised, and convincing.

  • Deepfake voice calls and even video messages can now trick staff into approving payments or sharing access.

  • The old “spot the typo” training simply doesn’t cut it anymore.

Supply Chain Weakness

Big brands from Jaguar Land Rover to airport systems have recently been knocked offline, not by direct attack, but through suppliers.

  • One weak link can cause days (or weeks) of disruption.

  • For SMBs, being part of a larger supply chain makes them a target, often the path of least resistance.

  • Resilience today means asking tough questions of your vendors and proving your own house is in order.

What This Means for SMBs

Resilience isn’t about a single tool, policy, or insurance policy.  It’s about being able to:

  • Identify risks (internal and external)

  • Strengthen defences in layers

  • Train staff to spot the real threats

  • Recover quickly when things go wrong

  • Adapt as new risks like AI evolve

That’s the difference between hoping you’re safe and knowing you’re resilient.

At SJ Cyber Aware, we’ve built a structured, practical programme, The Journey to Cyber Resilience, that helps SMBs embed these pillars into daily operations.  The stark truth is that in 2025, hoping for the best is no longer a strategy.

What’s your view?  Do you see AI-driven scams as the bigger threat, or supply chain risk?

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The Hidden Risks of Sharenting

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Why Oversharing Isn’t Always Harmless

I was watching a news piece this morning on the dangers of oversharing online, more specifically, sharenting.  It immediately brought to mind an essay I wrote at university on the highs and lows of oversharing.  Back then, the risks seemed theoretical.  Today, they are painfully real.

Modern parents and grandparents often live their lives through social media. A camera is always within reach, ready to capture family moments, including awkward or embarrassing ones and many feel compelled to share these instantly.  What many forget, however, is that every post builds a digital footprint.  In an age where artificial intelligence can harvest, replicate, or manipulate personal data, the consequences extend far beyond a single image.

We are all guilty of it.  We all mean well, as parents, grandparents or guardians, we need to be more aware, not just for now, but for the future our children will live.

A Digital Record Created Without Their Consent

By the time children reach their teenage years, they may already have hundreds of photos, videos, and stories online, many of which they did not choose.  Unlike a physical photo album, digital posts can be searched, shared, and even manipulated indefinitely.  These records can affect friendships, school reputation, and future opportunities.

That “Funny” Photo: From Innocent to Harmful

What feels like a lighthearted moment to us can become a weapon later.  That one “funny” photo may resurface years later and become fuel for cyberbullying or even physical bullying.  The child who once was a source of parental pride may become a target among peers.  The emotional impact, shame, insecurity, social withdrawal, can last long after the image is posted.

Identity Theft, Fraud & the Hidden Dangers of AI

Parents often share full names, birthdays, school uniforms, geolocations, or even daily routines, life by social media!  When aggregated, this information becomes a treasure trove for cybercriminals.  They may attempt identity theft, or use the data to carry out phishing or impersonation attacks.

Beyond that, AI systems are increasingly capable of using such data to generate synthetic content, deepfakes, voice mimics, or facial reconstructions, which can replicate or distort personal identity.  The “hidden dangers of AI” are no longer futuristic speculation, they’re increasingly part present reality.

Privacy, Respect & Autonomy

As children grow, they develop identities and boundaries.  Sharing deeply personal or embarrassing moments without their input erodes trust.  A child may feel exposed or disrespected by a digital legacy they never consented to.

Illustrated in a Video: A Message from Ella, Without Consent

If you don’t believe me, watch this: A Message from Ella | Without Consent (YouTube)

Overview of the Clip

This short but powerful video presents a narrative from the perspective of a child, “Ella”, whose images and personal stories have been shared without her consent.  She speaks directly to the viewer, explaining how it feels to see intimate, private moments made public, how it affects her identity and dignity, and how the control over her own story was taken away.  The video is a compelling reminder that the subjects of sharenting are people with emotions, not just snapshots.

Safer Sharing: A Practical Approach

Sharenting doesn’t require stopping entirely, but it does ask for intention:

  • Restrict audiences using privacy settings.

  • Avoid identifiable data like school names, uniforms, or precise locations.

  • Delay posting, wait until after events rather than posting in real time.

  • Seek the child’s consent, especially as they mature.

  • Use private platforms or closed family groups instead of public timelines.

Final Thought

Sharenting often comes from pride and love, but with it come real risks, identity theft, reputational harm, bullying, and a digital history over which a child has no control.  By being more mindful today, parents can help protect their child’s dignity, privacy, and future.

Sometimes the most caring act is choosing not to share.

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Why SMBs Can’t Ignore Mobile Device Security

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Why SMBs Can’t Ignore Mobile Device Security

For most of us, our mobile phone is more than a phone.  It’s a wallet, a diary, a filing cabinet, a camera, a sat-nav, and a direct link to the office.  That makes it one of the most valuable, and vulnerable, devices in your business.

Why SMBs Should Take Note

Big companies have teams of IT staff, layered defences, and enterprise tools.  Most small and medium businesses don’t.  That makes mobiles the easiest way in for cybercriminals.  Here’s why it matters:

  • Mobiles are business gateways.  Staff often use them to access company emails, finance apps, file shares, and client records.  If a phone is compromised, so is your business.

  • Lost or stolen devices = instant breach.  A single unattended phone in a café could expose sensitive emails, invoices, or even banking logins.

  • BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).  Many SMBs let staff use personal phones for work.  That’s convenient, but it also means your company data is sitting on devices you don’t control.

  • Phishing on the go.  People are more likely to fall for fake texts, dodgy links, or WhatsApp scams when they’re busy, distracted, or working outside the office.

  • Regulatory and financial risk.  A breach from an unsecured mobile can lead to lost clients, reputational damage, and regulatory fines.  For an SMB, that can be the difference between survival and closure.

Good Habits That Help

  • Require screen locks, strong passcodes, or biometrics on all devices.

  • Enable remote wipe so lost or stolen phones don’t become open doors.

  • Keep devices updated, security patches close known holes.

  • Stick to trusted apps only, and remove unused apps regularly.

  • Provide staff training so people know how to spot phishing texts and malicious links.

Bottom line for SMBs.

Your business is no longer protected by the walls of your office.  It now travels around in handbags, jacket pockets, and glove compartments.  One lost or hacked phone can expose your entire organisation.

Big companies can afford to bounce back.  Most SMBs can’t.  That’s why mobile device security isn’t a nice to have, it’s a survival tactic.

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