CyberSmart Live 2025 Recap: Key Cybersecurity Insights for UK MSPs & Businesses

Last week, our very own Rob Mnatacanian represented NetMonkeys at CyberSmart Live 2025, hosted at the top of The Gherkin in London. With breathtaking views and an impressive lineup of talks and panels, the event brought together MSPs, policy leaders, and cybersecurity experts from across the UK.

Rob attended sessions that touched on everything from AI-driven threats and Government policy to the psychology behind phishing and emerging compliance frameworks.

Setting the Scene: Cybersecurity Priorities for MSPs

The day opened with a welcome and keynote from CyberSmart’s CEO, who set the tone by presenting the results of their latest MSP survey. The findings painted a clear picture of the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape:

• Cybersecurity breaches have surged over the past 12 months — affecting both MSPs and their clients.
• AI-driven threats are now considered the most pressing concern among providers.
• Third-party risk, while a major threat vector, remains surprisingly under-prioritised — something the CEO highlighted as an industry blind spot.
• There’s a strong trend of MSPs becoming more security-focused, not just in service offerings, but in how they position themselves as strategic partners.

For NetMonkeys, this aligns with our evolving role — not just as IT support providers, but as cybersecurity consultants who help our clients navigate both operational risk and regulatory change.

The Government Push Behind Cyber Essentials

One of the most significant sessions featured a senior policy advisor from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, who discussed the Government’s growing emphasis on Cyber Essentials (CE).

Cyber Essentials is quickly becoming the national baseline for cybersecurity across UK businesses — and the Government wants adoption to rise sharply over the next 12–18 months.

Key stats shared:

• 15% of businesses currently mandate CE certification for third-party suppliers.
• A further 33% are considering implementing similar policies within the next 18 months.
• There is growing international interest in replicating the CE framework abroad.

As more businesses adopt Cyber Essentials, it will become increasingly common, even expected that their supply chain also demonstrates compliance. That’s where we come in: helping our customers implement, maintain, and expand CE compliance not just internally, but across their networks.

The Human Element: Building a Compassionate Cyber Culture

CyberSmart Live wasn’t just about policies and platforms, it also tackled the psychological side of cybersecurity.

One standout talk focused on the human element, particularly why people fall for phishing scams and how businesses can support their teams in making safer choices.

Rather than shaming employees for mistakes, the message was to create a culture of openness and trust. Staff should feel safe asking questions, reporting suspicious activity, and developing their cyber confidence without fear of judgement.

At NetMonkeys, we couldn’t agree more. Our approach to cybersecurity training and awareness is built around empathy, education, and empowerment, because it’s people, not firewalls, who are often the first line of defence.

Understanding the Compliance Landscape: NIS2, CAF & the UK Cyber Bill

Compliance is fast becoming a legal obligation, not just a best practice. In a dual-panel session, industry experts and CyberSmart partners explored the practical impact of:

• The NIS2 Directive
• The Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)
• The forthcoming UK Cyber Bill

The consensus? While certifications like Cyber Essentials, CE+, and ISO27001 help demonstrate good practice, legislative compliance is mandatory, and businesses that ignore these changes risk both penalties and reputational damage.

The panels also touched on the importance of personalised communication, tailoring security messages and strategies to specific industries, concerns, and stakeholder groups. This reinforces our existing strategy of delivering sector-relevant insights and real-world success stories across healthcare, legal, education, and more.

Building Better Partnerships, Not Just Better Tech

Rob’s final reflection on CyberSmart Live 2025? The industry is shifting from product-based solutions to relationship-based cybersecurity. Clients don’t just need tools, they need trusted advisors.

At NetMonkeys, we’re embracing that role fully. We help clients:

• Prepare for Cyber Essentials and regulatory compliance
• Respond to threats with empathy and education
• Build resilience through tailored strategy, not just software

Want to Learn More About Cyber Essentials?

Whether you’re just starting your certification journey or want to strengthen your cybersecurity posture across your supply chain, we’re here to help. Get in touch with the NetMonkeys team, we’d be happy to guide you through it.