Businesses urged to take steps to prevent cyberattacks

Businesses have been urged to take action to protect themselves from cybersecurity breaches after research revealed that two-thirds of large businesses in Britain have been a victim of an attack within the past 12 months.

The Cyber Breaches Security Survey, which was carried out by market research company Ipsos Mori for the UK Government, found that over 80 per cent of consumers are concerned over which businesses have access to their data.

Priority

The survey also showed that over half of small businesses based in Scotland believe that it is unlikely or very unlikely that they will be a victim of a cyberattack, whilst 23 per cent said that they feel prepared for an attack.

The Government is aiming to tackle the problem of cybersecurity breaches and last year launched its Cyber Governance Health Check.

Digital Economy Minister, Ed Vaizey, stated that the Government has made cybersecurity a “top priority” and urged businesses to take action to protect themselves from an attack.

“Too many firms are losing money, data and consumer confidence with the vast number of cyberattacks. It's absolutely crucial businesses are secure and can protect data,” he said.

He advised companies to take action by adopting the Government-backed Cyber Essentials scheme to help them protect themselves.

Support 

According to the survey, cyber breaches and attacks have cost UK businesses millions, with the main attacks being spyware or malware and viruses.

The Government is aiming to invest £1.9 billion to tackle cybersecurity breaches over the next five years, and will also be offering security support to businesses by launching a National Cyber Security Centre.