Many small business owners still view regulatory compliance as something reserved for large enterprises with deep pockets and full-time legal departments. This assumption is dangerously outdated. As we navigate 2025, regulatory scrutiny has extended its reach—and small businesses are firmly on the radar.
The landscape of compliance is evolving quickly. With rising cyber threats and increasing expectations around data privacy, regulators are tightening the rules and expanding their oversight. For small businesses, that means one thing: adapt or face the consequences.
Imagine your coffee machine brewing your perfect cup just as you wake up, your office lights adjusting automatically to optimize productivity, or your delivery truck predicting traffic jams and rerouting for a faster journey. This isn't science fiction; it's the power of the Internet of Things (IoT), and it's poised to explode in 2024.
Small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) may not have the same resources as large corporations, but they face similar cybersecurity threats. In fact, SMBs are often more vulnerable because they are more likely to lack the comprehensive cybersecurity measures needed to protect against cyber attacks and their associated risks. What’s at stake? Financial, legal, and reputational consequences, and in some cases the very future of the business.
Microsoft is rolling out Conditional Access policies requiring multifactor authentication (MFA) from administrators when signing into Microsoft admin portals such as Microsoft Entra, Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Azure. This is a welcome move, as MFA is one of the most effective ways to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems.
Subscriptions
