The Small Business Cyber Security Guy

Welcome to my personal blog — a space where I share my own views, opinions, and insights on technology, cyber security, and the realities of working in IT.

This blog is entirely personal. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are mine alone. They do not represent the views, policies, or positions of my employer, past or present, or any organisation I’m associated with professionally or personally.

Expect a mix of:

  • Straight-talking advice for small businesses

  • Honest takes on cyber security and IT trends

  • The occasional rant

  • A few war stories from the frontlines (names removed to protect the guilty)

With over 40 years in the industry, I’ve seen a lot — some of it brilliant, some of it baffling.

This blog is where I unpack all of it.

Man wearing glasses and a light gray sweater, smiling
Microsoft Accidentally Nukes Copilot – Because Of Course They Did
Microsoft, Service Failure, Patch Tuesday Noel Bradford Microsoft, Service Failure, Patch Tuesday Noel Bradford

Microsoft Accidentally Nukes Copilot – Because Of Course They Did

Just when you thought Microsoft couldn't top their Exchange meltdown, they go full send and accidentally delete their own AI assistant from Windows 11. No warning, no prompt—just poof. Gone. It's as if someone at Redmond duct-taped down the ‘F**k Around and Find Out’ button and walked away.

What’s next? Windows Update deciding Task Manager is ‘problematic’? Edge forcibly replacing all your passwords with ‘BingLovesYou123’? Buckle up—because this one’s a mess. Read on and prepare to rage.

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Microsoft Exchange Online: How the Actual F*!# Do You Break Email for a Week?
Microsoft, Outage, Exchange Online Noel Bradford Microsoft, Outage, Exchange Online Noel Bradford

Microsoft Exchange Online: How the Actual F*!# Do You Break Email for a Week?

For seven excruciating days, Microsoft completely broke email transport, crippling businesses worldwide. A botched update turned the simplest, most stable IT function into a flaming dumpster fire, leaving users helpless while Microsoft sat in silence for three days before admitting anything was wrong.

How do you screw up SMTP, MAPI, and basic email delivery in 2025? How does a trillion-dollar company make email less reliable than it was in the 1980s? And more importantly—why should you still trust Microsoft 365 after this catastrophic f*-up? Buckle up, we’re diving in!

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⚠️ Full Disclaimer

This is my personal blog. The views, opinions, and content shared here are mine and mine alone. They do not reflect or represent the views, beliefs, or policies of:

  • My employer

  • Any current or past clients, suppliers, or partners

  • Any other organisation I’m affiliated with in any capacity

Nothing here should be taken as formal advice — legal, technical, financial, or otherwise. If you’re making decisions for your business, always seek professional advice tailored to your situation.

Where I mention products, services, or companies, that’s based purely on my own experience and opinions — I’m not being paid to promote anything. If that ever changes, I’ll make it clear.

In short: This is my personal space to share my personal views. No one else is responsible for what’s written here — so if you have a problem with something, take it up with me, not my employer.