Protecting your business from cyber crime

In this article, we look at the impact that cyber crime is having on UK businesses and what can be done to prevent it affecting organisations, both financially and operationally.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Cyber Security Survey 2019 makes for worrying reading.

While many organisations are making great strides in implementing cyber security strategies – and the implementation of GDPR in March 2018 has highlighted the need for robust data protection across the business community – UK industry is still being hit hard by hackers, data breaches and other forms of cyber crime.

For instance, the Cyber Security Survey 2019 found that:

• 32% of businesses and 22% of charities reported having cyber security breaches or attacks in the last 12 months.
• In 30 per cent of cases where businesses had reported a breach or attack, a negative outcome – such as lost data or assets – was recorded, and this cost these organisations an average of £4,180 annually. This was higher than that recorded in the 2018 survey (£3160) and 2017 survey (£2450).

The impact of cyber security breaches or attacks on businesses can be dramatic. The Cyber Security Survey 2019 found that, of businesses which had been affected by cyber security breaches or attacks in the last 12 months:

• 32% needed new measures to prevent future attacks
• 27% took up staff time dealing with breaches or attacks
• 19% had staff prevented from carrying out daily work

Effects on a business can include loss of access to networks or files, damage to software or systems and disruption to online services and websites (for instance if they are slowed down or don’t work at all).

Obviously there is a risk that criminals may use a cyber attack to steal money directly from a business, but if there is a data breach, trade secrets or intellectual property may fall into competitors’ hands too. Alteration to or deletion of personal data could also occur.

And then there is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):  offences relating to data loss could result in fines of up to €20 million or four per cent of a firm’s global turnover (whichever is greater).

The risks to a business from cyber crime – whether it is a sole trader, SME or multi-national, are great.

So how can you protect your business from cyber crime and its detrimental effects? How can you keep your data safe?

Measures for protecting your business include:

• Putting a cyber security policy in place
• Implementing regular cyber security risk-assessments
• Ensuring software updates are applied
• Ensuring malware protection is up to date
• Using firewalls with the appropriate configuration
• Having effective data back-up (for instance with the use of cloud technology)
• Restricting IT rights and access to specific users
• Implementing effective mobile device management (MDM) to control access and monitor mobile devices

The Cellular Solutions team help to prevent data breaches, keep your data safe and support you in being GDPR compliant.

Our specialists can provide training and support to ensure that your databases are protected by the right level of security.

In addition, we can advise on how to restrict and control access to business software systems such as Sage 200cloud, Sage CRM and Act! Growth Suite.

Cellular Solutions also provide MaaS360, a mobile device management (MDM) solution which boosts security and enables you to control your team’s mobile devices and Box Online storage, which gives your business secure backup and encryption. We have vast expertise in implementing cloud software too.

We can wipe and dispose of your old devices, ensuring that data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands and help to prevent former employees from accessing your data.

Want to know more about how we can help protect your business and improve cyber security?

Call our experts on 08700 118 000, email info@cellular-solutions.co.uk or contact us here.