Direction Forward

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

directionforward.com

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.⁠
⁠
Please note that whilst we are closed support is available for organisations with infrastructure, hosting and/or Support Agreements only.⁠
⁠
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

directionforward.com

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

429 Too Many Requests

Anthropic has launched two new AI models – Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4 – focused on enabling more complex and sustained AI use cases.

While much of the spotlight stays on OpenAI’s models through ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, Claude is being developed with long-running tasks in mind: coding, technical writing, data analysis, and research.

The launch is part of a broader strategy to position Claude as a safe, capable agent, not just a conversational model. That said, Anthropic are also facing controversy. A recent lawsuit filed by Reddit and an internal report acknowledging the potential for harmful outcomes underscore the ethical challenges of AI development.

Read more: https://directionforward.com/news/2025/anthropic-releases-two-new-ai-models

Anthropic releases two new AI models – Direction Forward Anthropic has announced the release of its most advanced AI models to date – Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4 – which focus on complex and sustained tasks. Whilst much of the discussion in the industry remains centered on ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, both of which are powered by OpenAI mo...

Want to see how AI can help you? Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses are currently 15% off. The offer has been extended until 30th June 2025.
You can find out more about Copilot here: https://directionforward.com/hosting/microsoft-365/copilot

Microsoft 365 Copilot AI – Direction Forward Copilot is now available for Microsoft 365. Copilot brings artificial intelligence (AI) to the modern workspace. This tool integrates with Microsoft 365 applications (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams) and the Microsoft Graph (which indexes your organisation’s content). It uses...

Starting today, Google Vids is available to all Google Workspace users, including Business Starter plans.

It brings generative AI video tools like script suggestions, AI voiceovers, and quick video creation into the core Workspace experience. Could it help you?

Read more here: https://directionforward.com/news/2025/google-vids-to-become-core-service-in-google-workspace

Google Vids to become core service in Google Workspace – Direction Forward Google has confirmed that its AI-powered video creation tool, Google Vids, will become a core service within all Google Workspace subscription plans. Until now, it has only been available to customers on higher-tier plans. From 29 April 2025, Google will expand access to users on Business Starter, E...