Did you know that in the last 12 months alone 39% of UK businesses have spotted an attempt to breach their systems? And there will many more which are entirely unaware, given that networks have become so stretched over the pandemic. A scary thought.
Cybercrime is increasingly becoming a growing threat across Wales, with many smaller businesses seeing it as being a complicated or expensive risk to manage. And without the right help, that’s quite possibly true.
Words such as ‘cyber-attack’, ‘phishing scams’, ‘security breach’ and ‘ransomware’, may seem alien and not relevant to your business, yet organisations now more than ever need to be protecting themselves.
And this is where the Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales (WCRC) comes in. The centre has been set up to help businesses and charities across the region avoid the average annual loss of over £8,000 suffered by organisations when taking a financial hit from a successful cyber-attack.
Hesitation when implementing something new in unfamiliar territory is understandable and that’s why the WCRC’s focus is on protecting the Welsh economy by getting simple, common sense guidance out there.
To level the playing field, core membership is completely free of charge which includes a welcome pack with resources and tools that walk members through some really practical cyber security basics:
What a good password looks like
Things to consider when backing up your data
How to keep your mobile devices safe
Signs of a suspicious email
A monthly email features updates on the latest guidance, newest tips, and scams to be aware of. There are also periodic webinars to guide business owners and leaders through a hot topic agenda. In short, core membership adds value to businesses, not costs.
If a little more is needed, it’s also worth checking out the cyber resilience centre as a gateway to additional services such as the student services offering formed with regional universities. Hand-picked students work alongside the experienced team to investigate in high-level detail where recommendations can be made to protect further.
The centre’s director Paul Peters says where detailed or bespoke advice is needed, the WCRC can help provide access to it inexpensively and from sources know you can trust.
He added: “Cyber security often feels technical, complicated and overwhelming to many so is often pushed to the bottom of the to-do list or ignored entirely with the mindset that it only happens to other people. This is not the case! If we can provide you with help and guidance for free, becoming a member feels like a bit of a no-brainer to me.”
Sign up to core membership and help your business become safer and to stay that way. There’s nothing to lose if you do.