UK Government offers SMEs cyber security support
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The Information Security Breaches Survey found some attacks caused more than £1 million of damage.
It showed 87% of small firms experienced a security breach last year, up 10% and 93% of large organisations had also been targeted.
To help guard against these attacks, which can cost a small business 6% of its turnover, government is offering further funding and guidance.
The Technology Strategy Board has extended a scheme to allow small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to bid for up to £5,000 to improve their cyber security .
BIS is also publishing a guide to help small businesses improve their cyber security and make it part of their business risk management process.
Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: “Keeping electronic information safe and secure is vital to a business’s bottom line.”
“Companies are more at risk than ever of having their cyber security compromised, in particular small businesses, and no sector is immune from attack. But there are simple steps that can be taken to prevent the majority of incidents.”
“The package of support we are announcing today will help small businesses protect valuable assets like financial information, websites, equipment, software and intellectual property, driving growth and keeping UK businesses ahead in the global race.”
The research showed that:
- 87% of small firms - up 10% - experienced a security breach last year. 93% of large organisations were also targeted
- affected companies experienced around 50% more attacks on average than a year ago
- the average cost of the worst security breach for small organisations was between £35,000 and £65,000
- the average cost for large organisations was between £450,000 and £850,000
- the median number of breaches suffered was 113 for a large organisation and 17 for a small business
- several individual breaches cost more than £1 million
- 78% of large organisations were attacked by an unauthorised outsider (up from 73% a year ago) and 63% of small businesses (up from 41% a year ago)
- 81% of respondents reported that senior management had not been able to put in place effective security, even though it was classed a high priority
- 84% of large businesses report staff-related cyber breaches (the highest figure ever recorded) and 57% of small businesses (up from 48% a year ago)
Andrew Beckett from Cassidian - one of four companies chosen by CESG (the information assurance arm of GCHQ) to take part in a Cyber Incident Response Scheme providing expert advice to business on cyber security - thinks that whilst the move by the Technology Strategy Board this week to extend its vouchers scheme to allow SMEs to bid for up to £5,000 (from a £500,000 pot) to improve their cyber security is laudable, it does not go far enough to address the growing problem. He said: “This scheme will help SMEs to kick start their own cyber defences. However this report confirms what we have known for some time in that cyber crime is now a widespread issue that is reaching epidemic proportions.
“It is clear that the cyber threat is now affecting SMEs who are simply not prepared or given enough support to deal with such a serious problem. This could have a disastrous effect on the stability of our economy and the future of small businesses everywhere at a time when we are still in the depths of a recession.
“I welcome the release of the research and the innovation vouchers scheme, and we are working with the national Authorities to design more practical actions to stem the flow of a very serious crisis."
Matthew Fell, CBI director for competitive markets, said: “Cyber attacks are a growing threat to companies, particularly smaller firms, by damaging the very networks that are critical to the way they interact and do business.
“Firms must decide what is valuable to them and treat cyber-security as a daily business risk. As well as taking steps to beef up their systems and internal staff processes, they should ensure the technology and software they use is robust and up-to-date.
“The additional support announced by the Government should help make life a little easier for SMEs to face up to this threat.”
Read the full
2013 Information Security Breaches Survey
