Direction Forward

Thanks very much to for the invite to TheArtofPRCollective last night at the Coningsby Gallery. Really loved the works and the amazing variety. Curated by Ade Lee. Matt’s pieces pride of place in the first photo.

How do you log in to your Microsoft accounts?
If you use SMS or voice authentication, make sure you read this announcement:
https://directionforward.com/information/2026/microsoft-is-retiring-sms-and-voice-authentication

Microsoft is retiring SMS and voice authentication – Direction Forward Microsoft has announced an important change to how users authenticate when signing into Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft services. Microsoft will retire SMS text message and voice call authentication on 1 February 2027. Most organisations still use some of these methods for multi-factor authenticat...

Happy World Backup Day!

Today, 31 March, is World Backup Day, an initiative intended to encourage both individuals and organisations to back up and protect their data.

It is an excellent opportunity to review your backup policies, check that recovery processes work as expected, and confirm that all critical systems are protected.

As we increasingly rely on very large, top tier cloud platforms and services – such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace – backup strategies need to evolve to match environments.

Find out more: https://directionforward.com/news/2026/its-world-backup-day

And please get in touch for assistance checking your backup strategy, and to add backup services to your systems.

What will cyber security look like in 2026?

We've shared our top predictions for how AI will transform the threat landscape in the next year: https://directionforward.com/news/2026/ten-predictions-for-ai-in-cyber-security-for-2026

AI-driven phishing, autonomous malware, prompt-injection attacks targeting AI systems – here's what leaders need to consider for 2026.

Ten predictions for AI in cyber security for 2026 – Direction Forward 1. AI-driven phishing becomes indistinguishable from humans LLMs enable mass-produced, highly personalised phishing emails that accurately mimic tone, context, and writing style. Traditional “spot the bad grammar” tactics stop working. 2. Deepfakes undermine trust at scale AI-generated voices an...

If you use Wemo smart plugs, switches or light controls: Belkin has confirmed it will shut down the Wemo app and cloud services on 31 January 2026. After that date, all features that rely on cloud connectivity (via Google Home and Alexa, not just the Wemo app) will no longer work.

For anyone with built in switches or hard-wired installations, the impact could be significant, beyond replacing plug-in devices.

We’ve published a full breakdown of what’s changing, which devices are affected, and what this means for existing Wemo users.

👉 Read the full article here: https://directionforward.com/news/2026/end-of-support-for-wemo-smart-home-products-on-31-january-2026

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The NCSC has announced that Web Check and Mail Check will be retired on 31 March 2026. This marks the end of nearly a decade of free scanning and monitoring offered by the UK Government.

It is crucial that organisations adopt alternative solutions for web and email security threats and vulnerabilities before this date.

We provide vulnerability scanning services and email compliance services, as well as pe*******on testing for comprehensive reviews. Get in touch to discuss our Cyber Security solutions.

Read more: https://directionforward.com/news/2025/ncsc-ending-web-check-and-mail-check-in-march-2026

NCSC ending Web Check and Mail Check in March 2026 – Direction Forward The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has announced that its Web Check and Mail Check services will be retired on 31 March 2026. This marks the end of nearly a decade of free scanning and monitoring offered by the UK Government for common web and email security threats and vulnerabilities. Organ...

We wanted to let you know that our office will be closed for the holidays from 12pm on Friday 19 December through to 9am on Monday 5 January.⁠
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Please note that whilst we are closed support is available for organisations with infrastructure, hosting and/or Support Agreements only.⁠
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Thank you for your understanding and happy holidays!

AI browsers like Atlas, Comet, and Chrome with Gemini are now available.

We’ve looked at what each browser offers, the capabilities this tech offers, and the risks around data and security.

Have you tried any of them yet?
Read the full article here: https://directionforward.com/news/2025/ai-web-browsers-are-now-available

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LinkedIn is changing its Terms from 3 November 2025 and it’s worth knowing about.

They’ll start using members’ data (like your profile and public posts) to train their AI systems. You can opt out, but it’s not automatic.

We’re not against AI, but we think LinkedIn’s opt-out system isn’t ideal for privacy, especially when personal or contact data is involved.

👉 Read our post for more details and how to check your settings: https://directionforward.com/news/2025/linkedin-updates-terms-of-service-to-use-members-data-for-ai

LinkedIn updates Terms Of Service to use members' data for AI – Direction Forward LinkedIn has announced that it will update its Terms Of Service on 3 November 2025. As part of this, it will begin using data from members in the UK and Europe to help train its content-generating AI models. LinkedIn will use information from members’ public profiles and posts to improve its AI-po...

Changes to registration details for domain names

Some behind-the-scenes changes are coming to how your domain name info is handled.

As of June 2025, less personal or business info will be collected or shown publicly i.e. your organisation name, postcode, or fax number. This is part of the move to a new privacy-focused system replacing WHOIS, called RDAP.

While this enhances user privacy and aligns with GDPR, it raises questions around transparency and domain ownership verification in the face of growing cyber threats.

Read more here: https://directionforward.com/news/2025/changes-to-registration-details-for-domain-names

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