Start the New Year Securely: A Practical Cyber Security Reset for SMEs

January is more than a fresh start — it’s a reset.
For many SMEs, it’s the first real opportunity to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what needs strengthening after the busy end-of-year period.

Cyber security should be part of that reset. Not because something has gone wrong, but because small improvements made early in the year can significantly reduce risk for the months ahead.

This guide outlines practical, achievable steps SMEs can take in January to build stronger cyber resilience without overcomplicating things.

Why January Is the Right Time to Review Cyber Security

The start of the year offers a rare advantage:

• Systems have recently been used under pressure (Christmas period)
• Gaps are easier to identify
• Staff are more receptive to process improvements
• Budgets and priorities are being set

Rather than waiting for an incident to force change, January allows businesses to act proactively.

Many SMEs use the Cyber Essentials framework as a practical baseline when reviewing security at the start of the year

1. Review Access and Permissions

Over time, access rights often grow without being reviewed. Former staff accounts, shared logins, and unnecessary admin permissions all increase risk.

A January access review should include:

• Removing unused or dormant accounts
• Ensuring staff only have access to what they need
• Reviewing admin and privileged accounts
• Enforcing strong authentication (especially MFA)

This simple step closes doors that attackers commonly exploit.

The ICO recommends regular access reviews to ensure personal data is only accessible to authorised users.

2. Check That Backups Actually Work

Many organisations have backups — but few regularly test them.

January is the right time to confirm:

• Backups are running successfully
• Data can be restored quickly
• Backup data is protected from ransomware
• Retention policies meet business and compliance needs

A tested backup provides confidence. An untested one creates false reassurance.

Effective recovery planning includes testing backups and understanding recovery timelines, not just assuming data is protected.

3. Strengthen Cloud Security Settings

Cloud platforms such as Microsoft 365 are powerful, but security depends heavily on configuration.

Common areas to review include:

• Sharing permissions on files and folders
• Public or external links
• MFA on all admin accounts
• Email security and forwarding rules
• Monitoring and alerting settings

Misconfiguration remains one of the leading causes of data exposure — and it’s entirely preventable.

The UK Software Security Code of Practice highlights how misconfiguration and weak admin controls lead to avoidable exposure.

4. Reinforce Staff Awareness Early

Human error remains the most common cause of cyber incidents.
Rather than waiting for problems to appear later in the year, January is the ideal time to reset expectations.

A short awareness refresh can cover:

• How to spot phishing emails
• What to do if something feels suspicious
• Why password reuse is risky
• When to escalate issues

Keeping this simple and practical makes it far more effective.

UK government research consistently shows human error as a leading cause of cyber incidents.

5. Put Monitoring and Visibility in Place

The faster a potential threat is detected, the easier it is to contain.

Monitoring helps businesses:

• Spot suspicious login attempts
• Detect unusual data access
• Identify compromised accounts early
• Respond before issues escalate

Visibility doesn’t mean complexity — it means knowing what’s happening when it matters.

6. Align Cyber Security with Business Goals

Cyber security isn’t just an IT concern — it supports business continuity, reputation, and customer trust.

January is a good time to ask:

• Which systems are critical to daily operations?
• What would downtime really cost us?
• Where would disruption cause the most damage?

Aligning security priorities with business impact ensures effort is focused where it matters most.

Board-level oversight helps ensure cyber security investments focus on real business risk.

Looking Ahead with Confidence

Cyber security doesn’t require dramatic change or expensive overhauls.
The most resilient organisations focus on consistency, awareness, and regular review.

By using January to reset access, verify backups, tighten configurations, and refresh awareness, SMEs can move into the year with confidence rather than concern.

And if you need support reviewing your environment or prioritising next steps, JSL is always here to help. We work with organisations to make cyber security clearer, more manageable, and aligned with real business needs.

If you’d like a clearer picture of where your business stands at the start of the year, a FREE, no-obligation IT Audit can help identify risks and highlight practical improvements.