The government has launched a new campaign to protect businesses from cyber threats as data reveals the associated costs have reached £14.7bn a year.
Business owners are being urged to “lock the door” on criminals, with the government issuing practical steps for organisations to shore up their defences.
The campaign, which will appear across social media, podcasts, radio and business networks is aimed at SMEs and will encourage them to engage with the government’s Cyber Essentials scheme, which offers guidance on avoiding cyber attacks.
Among the steps included are simple checks such as keeping software up to date and controlling who has access to accounts and data.
According to new figures cited by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), significant cyber incidents cost and average of £195,000 and half of all SMEs have suffered a breach or attack in the last 12 months.
“No business is out of reach from cyber criminals. SMEs play a vital role in our economy, and business owners work incredibly hard to build something valuable, but too many still assume cyber criminals only go after big brands,” said Cyber Security Minister Baroness Lloyd.
“The reality is criminals look for easy opportunities, and without basic protections in place, any business of any size can become a target. Cyber risk is business risk, just like fire or theft, and the protections are just as essential. I urge businesses to take action and adopt Cyber Essentials now.”
The Cyber Essentials programme was developed by experts from DSIT and NCSC, with the core focuses being: firewalls, secure configuration, software updates, user access control and malware protection.
“Many small business owners assume their business is too small to be on cyber criminals’ radar, but in reality, we know most attackers don’t care about size, reputation or logos – they are looking for opportunity and weaknesses,” said NCSC chief executive Dr Richard Horne.
“Small businesses do not need to go to the ends of the earth to put baseline cyber security measures in place as the Cyber Essentials scheme can help them take practical steps today.”
