As part of the National Cyber Security Programme, The Government last year conducted a survey which revealed that 46% of UK businesses experienced at least one cyber attack or cyber security breach in 2017. Of these, 41% of cyber attacks were on large businesses but 45% occurred in Micro businesses and 66% in SME’s. These findings highlight the need for further security in small and medium sized businesses and better data protection practices.
Does being more connected increase the risk?
The simple answer is yes. Recent years have seen a great increase in workplaces becoming more connected, physically and digitally. Employees may use several devices like phones, desktop computers and laptops as well as external storage like hard drives and memory sticks to complete their work. The ‘gateways’ can be very vulnerable to breaches. Add to this that many workplaces now offer more flexible working or use co-working office spaces and you are left with many possible security risks.
BYOD (Bring your own device)
Another practice which is becoming more popular is the use of employees personal smartphones, laptops and tablets for work purposes. Many of us are guilty of checking on emails while out of the office or finishing off that presentation for an important meeting while in your pj’s at home. This connectivity can be vital for your business while your on the go but you could be risking serious security issues. By using personal devices we are more at risk of data loss, malicious apps or viruses and data leaks. It’s scary to think that 46% of UK businesses allow staff to use personal devices for work purposes and that 68% of these are in the Information, Communications or Utility sectors while 64% are in the Professional, Scientific or Technical services sectors.
How much is spent on cyber security?
On average medium businesses spent £15,500 on cyber security in 2017. Below is a breakdown of how this differs across different sectors.
- Food and Hospitality: £620
- Education, Health and social care: £1,810
- Retail and Wholesale £2,430
- Professional, Scientific or Technical: £5,220
- Information, Communication or Utility: £19,500
What are the most common data threats?
There are many different ways in which your business could be affected by data security, but which are the most common?
- Ransomware: 17%
- Impersonators of the business via email or online: 27%
- Viruses, spyware and malware: 33%
- Fraudulent emails: 72%
So how are businesses protecting themselves?
According to the Government study, 58% of businesses have obtained advice and information on cyber security threats in the last year. It was also revealed that medium businesses are leading the way in regard to money being spent on their data protection and security with 87% of these recognising the need for more security.
What can you do to protect your business?
The introduction of GDPR earlier this year has certainly highlighted a need for further security within businesses and it is clear that many more businesses are seriously considering the risks of data breaches and cyber-attacks. But what other precautions can you take?
- Update your security polices and firmly implement these with all your staff
- Re-assess your security policies on a regular basis to ensure they are up to date
- Regularly update passwords, encryption or biometrics
- Restrict work activities to secure devices
- Install trusted security apps
- Configure anti-theft settings and regularly update patches on all devices
- Use features such as remote data erasing, geo-location or multi-factor authentication for devices which could get lost or stolen
- Limit the information shared through remote devices
If you would like any further advice regarding keeping your business secure, then please get in touch for more details
