Cyber security is increasingly becoming a major concern for UK businesses, and it’s not just large corporations being targeted online by cyber criminals – small and medium enterprises also need to review their security measures to ensure their critical systems and files are safe. According to new research by the UK Government, half of UK firms were hit by a data breach or cyber attack in 2016 alone.
These breaches were disruptive and damaging, both in terms of reputation and costs, and were estimated to cost the average small business between £75 – £311K. That’s enough to potentially put you out of business.
As with most things, prevention is the best cure. We understand from our customers and friends that cyber security can be a minefield of information, and most business executives are under the impression that it’s an expensive and complicated process. We’d like to change that.
Although some security measures do require an in-depth review of your infrastructure, operations and potential vulnerabilities, there are a number of ways to protect your business that are both quick and easy to implement. Take a look at our comprehensive guide to cyber security to learn the different steps you can take to strengthen your security, including restricting access to internal systems through geolocation or IP restrictions and making log-ins more secure through two-factor authentication.
You might find that some of the steps have already been implemented within your organisation while others will only require a few modifications to get to an adequate level. Staff awareness is one of the most crucial steps for any business and yet, it’s usually overlooked. The WannaCry ransomware, for example, may have been prevented from spreading so rapidly had more people been aware of the risks and had the correct tools and processes in place to flag the threat.
Head over to our online guide to cyber security now to get started on your security review.