In this blog piece, Steve Rudd of IMSM warns about the dangers of cyber-attacks and making sure your business has the correct procedures in place to avoid security breaches…
Ignore the stereotypes of sophisticated cyber-criminals targeting million-pound businesses. Most attacks are opportunistic and target not the wealthy or famous, but the unprepared. Consequences of data breaches can be significant, but not always obvious. Indeed, locally, Preston’s city council in 2018 underwent a course of action to ascertain its own level of staff awareness in respect to web-security. Everyone in the council were sent a spoof phishing email with 49 per cent failing the test by clicking the link.
Every day, another company makes the news for all the wrong reasons and every business is a target for cyber-attackers. Data is one of the most valuable assets any business has today. Our dependence on information systems and services means organisations are more vulnerable to security threats than ever before. Secure information technology (IT) systems and well-informed staff are the best ways to protect firms and their clients, as a cyber-criminal’s best friend is complacency.
The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2019, is a quantitative and qualitative survey of UK businesses and charities. The quantitative survey was carried out in winter 2018 and the qualitative element in early 2019. It helps these organisations to understand the nature and significance of the cyber security threats they face, and what others are doing to stay secure. Key take-away report findings include:
48% identified at least one breach or attack a month
27% took up staff time dealing with breaches and attacks
19% stopped staff from carrying out daily work
80% were phishing attacks
28% others impersonating an organisation in emails or online
27% were viruses, spyware or malware, including ransomware attacks
IMSM support organisations in gaining ISO certification and business opportunities. An ISO certification is a recognised mark of quality, improving your business by producing consistent standards of quality to meet customers’ requirements. By streamlining internal processes and adopting a strong customer focus, it improves competitiveness leading to a higher profit potential. IMSM adds value to companies by improving efficiency, competitiveness and consistency through Information Security (ISO 27001), Information Technology (ISO 20000)
If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Steve Rudd, please call IMSM at 01793 688 990 or e-mail marketing@imsm.com
