Why do I need cyber security?
Cyber security protects individuals and organisations from the risk of cyber attacks.
Smartphones, computers and the internet are a fundamental part of our lives. It is hard to imagine how we’d function without them. With so much of our information stored on computer or in the Internet it is more important than ever to ensure that our data is protected.
There are many reasons that cyber security is important, here are a few:
Ransomware is a type of malware which prevents you from accessing your device and the data stored on it, usually by encrypting your files. A criminal group will then demand a ransom in exchange for decryption. Not being able to access your data, even temporaril, might have a severe impact on your business. Traditional backup systems may not be sufficient to protect data from a ransomware attack. Click here to see our ransomware guide
Cyber crime is one of the fastest growing types of crime. In the UK reported cyber scams increased by 31% during the peak of the COVID pandemic.
Social media and e-mail were the most common way for hackers to steal information, accounting for 53% of all attacks.
The real cost of a cyber attack will vary acccording to the business type and size, type and severity of the breach and the precautions that have been taken in advance. In addition to the fincancial cost there is also reputation of the company to consider. If your hold personal information there are regulations that you must follow if your company suffers a data breach.
Identify theft is a growing problem. It can be used to gain access to your bank accounts, or even use your name to perpitrate fraud.
You may think that your data is safe if it is stored online (‘in the cloud’) but that may not always be the case. Your data must be protected by strong passwords and preferably, multi-factor authenication – not relying on passwords alone to protect access to information.
Cloud storage may not protect your data from ransomware attack.
Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials is a simple but effective, Government-backed scheme that will help you to protect your organisation, The Cyber Essentials scheme provides evidence that five fundamental technical security controls that an organisation needs are in place, defending against the most common form of cyberattacks emanating from the Internet.
These controls are independently assessed for Cyber Essentials accreditation and include:
•Boundary firewalls and internet gateways
•Secure configurations
•Access controls
•Malware protection
•Patch management