Cyber Security Is Not Broadband

Cyber Security Is Not Broadband Noel Bradford unpacks a vendor meeting that went sideways and exposes a wider problem in the small business cyber market. As the UK’s cyber security sector grows to 2,603 firms generating £14.7 billion in annual revenue, more suppliers are packaging cyber protection like broadband bundles: one monthly fee, one portal, one reassuring product name. But when light services hide behind heavy language, small businesses get packages instead of protection. Drawing on the UK Government’s Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis 2026 and real-world incident management experience, Noel explains the difference between genuine incident response and signposting with a login. He challenges the gap between what vendors promise and what customers actually receive when something goes wrong. This episode asks awkward questions about dark web monitoring, phishing simulation, insurance wrappers, and who really owns the incident when the clock is ticking. If you are a small business owner evaluating a cyber bundle, or a vendor selling one, this is essential listening. Cyber security is not a utility. It is not broadband. And when we sell it like broadband, we make ‘do nothing’ the stronger competitor. Chapters Welcome Noel introduces the episode after being pulled into a vendor meeting cold. He explains that cyber security is being bundled, packaged, and sold like broadband, but the analogy breaks when small businesses need real protection instead of tidy portals. The Cyber Sector Is Booming Noel cites the UK Government’s Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis 2026, which reports 2,603 active UK cyber firms, 69,600 full-time equivalent employees, and £14.7 billion in annual revenue. A bigger sector does not automatically mean better security for small businesses. Dragged Into The Call Noel describes joining a vendor call without context and immediately spotting a small business cyber bundle featuring dark web scanning. He explains when dark web monitoring can be useful and when it becomes a scare lever without follow-through. The Bundle Noel breaks down the bundle components: dark web monitoring, phishing simulation, privacy tools, cyber insurance, and incident response. He explains that none are inherently bad, but stacking five useful-sounding things together does not create a strategy without honest scoping and clear ownership. Incident Response Or Signposting With A Headset Noel explains the difference between real incident management and light advice. Proper incident response involves containment, evidence handling, insurer engagement, legal coordination, and recovery planning. At low five figures, it is not a £25 add-on, and signposting is not the same as ownership. Midroll Bumper Noel resets before moving into the insurance and channel problem. He reminds listeners that cyber security does not have to be expensive, but ignoring it always is. The Insurance Comfort Blanket Noel examines the bundle’s £25 per month price point and limited insurance cover: GDPR breach costs and fines capped at £25,000 per incident. He explains that the fine is often not the expensive part. The response is, and a small insurance wrapper is a sticky plaster, not a strategy. The Pitch Breaks Noel describes how the vendor disengaged when he asked what the service actually did. When a cyber product cannot survive basic questions from an MSP, it is not ready for small business customers. The Wider Channel Problem Noel connects the incident to the wider issue of telcos, insurers, software vendors, and MSPs moving into small business cyber. If sector growth turns into a land grab with light bundles and heavy language, the real competitor, ‘do nothing’, becomes stronger. Outro Noel offers practical advice. Small business owners should ask who owns the incident, who speaks to the insurer, and what the service does at two in the morning. Vendors should stop hiding light services behind heavy language. Cyber security is not broadband. Links https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-sectoral-analysis-2026 Links https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/ https://techcrunch.com/ https://cybernews.com/ https://www.scmagazine.com/ https://www.bitdefender.com/ https://www.securitymagazine.com/ https://www.wired.com/ https://vpnmentor.com/