47 questions every SME should answer before cyber insurance renewal. Identify gaps in MFA, backups, EDR and compliance before your renewal form arrives.
Damien Harrison
Why Bondgate IT Doesn’t Run Its Own SOC
We could build a Security Operations Centre. We’ve chosen not to. Here’s why structural independence between your MSP and your SOC protects your business better than the alternative, and why “we own everything end-to-end” is starting to look less like a strength and more like a conflict of interest.
DSPT 2025/26
Most organisations do not ignore DSPT. It sits on the list, gets discussed, and there is usually a broad expectation that it will get done.
Then June arrives and the tone changes.
Questions start surfacing that no one can answer quickly. Where is the training evidence? Who last reviewed access permissions? Has anyone checked whether your suppliers meet the required standard?
At that point, the issue is whether the organisation can stand behind what it believes is in place. That gap between belief and proof is where pressure builds and where risk sits.
Cyber Essentials v3.3: What Darlington and North East SMEs Need to Do Before 27 April 2026
If you run an SME in Darlington, Tees Valley or the wider North East, Cyber Essentials v3.3 is not just another minor update. From 27 April 2026, the standard becomes clearer and stricter around cloud services, end-user devices, MFA, patching and supported software.
Published: 27 April 2026 | By Bondgate IT
Cyber Security Is No Longer Optional: What UK SMEs Need to Focus on Now
Cyber security for SMEs in the UK is no longer a background IT concern. It is an operational issue that sits with leadership.
Many businesses believe they are protected because they have antivirus, firewalls, and backups in place. Yet attacks continue to land, not because tools fail, but because control, visibility, and ownership are unclear.
Cyber Essentials v3.3: Why Cyber Security Is Now a Board Responsibility
From 28 April 2026, Cyber Essentials v3.3 requires a director or board-level representative to confirm that the organisation will maintain compliance with Cyber Essentials controls throughout the certification period.
This change shifts Cyber Essentials from a technical checklist to a governance responsibility. Leadership must now ensure scope is defined, access is controlled, updates are maintained, and compliance does not drift between renewals.
For SMEs, this means cyber security is no longer delegated solely to IT. It becomes a board-level accountability issue linked to operational risk, regulatory exposure, supply chain credibility, and insurance expectations.
Organisations preparing for 2026 certification should focus on ownership, scope clarity, privileged access review, and establishing a structured compliance rhythm.
The human factor in cyber security, with Dan Gardner from Bondgate IT
Stop treating staff as the weak link. Learn how Bondgate IT uses education, relevance, and trust to cut phishing risk and improve reporting culture.
New Financial Year Planning: Why Your IT Roadmap Matters More Than Ever
As April approaches, leadership teams across the UK are entering a familiar planning cycle. Budgets are being refined, forecasts reviewed, and difficult trade-offs discussed. Growth targets are set alongside cost pressures, recruitment plans, and rising expectations around security and resilience. Yet in many organisations, one area still sits uncomfortably outside this process: technology. IT is […]
Damien Harrison Elected to GTIA UK & Ireland Executive Council
Bondgate IT has announced that Damien Harrison has been elected to the 2026 GTIA UK & Ireland Executive Council, representing the UK & Ireland community and contributing real-world insight to peer-led industry leadership.