Cyber crime is an increasing threat for everyone – and a cyber attack could be catastrophic for your small business. But there are things you can do to prevent cyber crime from happening to you.
As the National Crime Agency points out: cyber crime “costs the UK billions of pounds, causes untold damage, and threatens national security”. According to Microsoft, 87 per cent of UK businesses are unprepared for cyber attacks (source: Tech Republic).
We want your Sandwell business to be knowledgeable about cyber crime, and armed with ways to fight it.
The effects of a cyber attack
If cyber criminals target your organisation, you could experience:
- Financial costs
- Temporary loss of access to files and networks
- Website disruption
- Unavailability of online services and applications
- Corrupted and/or damaged software and systems
- Permanent loss of data
- Account takeovers
- Hacking
- Data being exfiltrated and held to ransom
- Data released on the dark web
- Reputational risk
- Risk to vulnerable service users.
There are different types of cyber attack. They include malware, ransomware and phishing.
How to protect your business
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a government organisation that turns its knowledge of cyber security into practical guidance for people and organisations – including SMEs. The NCSC website is packed with useful information.
Regionally, we have the Cyber Resilience Centre for the West Midlands. This is a police-led, business-focused organisation. Through its free core membership, you can access valuable tools and guidance – including a free business consultation to review your cyber security operations. Its other support includes Cyber Essentials: a certification scheme that helps you put measures in place to protect your organisation against cyber attack.
Two quick ways to help fight cyber crime
Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Forward spam text messages to 7726.
You probably won’t get a response, but you will be contributing to NCSC’s intelligence about the types of attacks taking place.
Cyber security resources
Here are more resources to help boost the cyber security of your Sandwell business.
