Cobalt Briefing · Section

Cyber Security

Cyber threats, Cyber Essentials and practical defence for South West businesses, without the scaremongering.

3 stories in Cyber Security

A digital padlock on a network grid with a single highlighted entry point, representing how cyber breaches find a way in.
Cyber Security

612,000 UK businesses were breached last year — most attacks start the same way

The government's 2026 breaches survey puts the number of affected businesses at around 612,000. The most common way in hasn't changed: a convincing email.

25 June 20264 min read
A glowing certification seal with a checkmark, gears and shields, representing the updated and stricter Cyber Essentials standard.
Cyber Security

Cyber Essentials just got harder to pass — here's what changed

The April 2026 update adds auto-fail rules, including a hard 14-day deadline to patch critical security holes. Good preparation matters more than ever.

22 June 20264 min read
A voice soundwave flowing from a phone handset toward a protective shield, representing defence against AI voice-cloning payment scams.
Cyber Security

AI voice scams are aimed at your finance team — one rule stops the costly ones

Cloned-voice 'pay this now' calls are the fastest-growing fraud of 2026. The defence isn't clever technology. It's a habit.

22 June 20264 min read

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