New government campaign aims to help business owners protect themselves from cyber threats.
Across social media, podcasts, radio and business networks, the new ‘lock the door’ campaign will encourage small and medium sized businesses to engage with the government’s Cyber Essentials scheme. This sets out clear, practical steps to protect against the most common cyber-attacks, such as keeping software up to date and controlling who has access to accounts and data.
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya / Unsplash
The campaign has been launched as new figures suggest that significant cyber incidents cost an average of £195,000, and that half of all small businesses have suffered a cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months. In total, cyber threats are estimated to cost UK businesses some £14.7 bn each year.
(The government has also published today the latest results of its multiyear Cyber Security Longitudinal Study (CSLS).)
Yet organisations with Cyber Essentials in place made fewer insurance claims than those without – by an extraordinary 92%. What’s more, certification through the scheme can also help businesses win government contracts. Eligible firms can also access free cyber insurance, including a 24/7 emergency helpline, provided by the Cyber Essentials delivery partner.
Cyber Essentials has been developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and focuses on five key protections: firewalls; secure configuration; software updates; user access control; and malware protection.
To help businesses get started in securing their systems, the campaign highlights a number of free tools and resources including a Cyber Essentials readiness tool, free 30‑minute consultations with an NCSC‑assured cyber advisor, and the chance to preview the Cyber Essentials ‘question set’ for free.
Baroness Lloyd of Effra, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Digital Economy), says: ‘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. The reality is criminals look for easy opportunities and without basic protections in place any business of any size can become a target.
‘I know smaller firms don’t have large IT teams, and that is exactly why Cyber Essentials matters. It provides a straightforward checklist to lock the door on cyber criminals, without needing specialist expertise. 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.’
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