Business leaders urged to 'do more' to help prevent cyber-attacks

05 Apr 2019

Following the publication of the government's 2019 Cyber Security Breaches Survey, business leaders are being urged to 'do more' to protect their firms from cyber-attacks and cybercrime.

The survey showed that 32% of businesses reported experiencing a cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. This represents a reduction when compared to last year's figure of 43%. The reduction has been attributed to the implementation of stringent new data laws, which form the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The survey also revealed that the average number of security breaches has risen from four in 2018 to six in 2019.

Where a breach resulted in a loss of data or assets, the average cost was £4,180. The most common attacks came via phishing emails, viruses or other malware, including ransomware. Instances of criminals impersonating organisations online were also rife.

Commenting on the survey, Margot James, Minister of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: 'Following the introduction of new data protection laws in the UK, it's encouraging to see that business and charity leaders are taking cyber security more seriously than ever before. However, with less than three in ten of those companies having trained staff to deal with cyber threats, there's still a long way to go to make sure that organisations are better protected.'

Business and charity leaders are being encouraged to follow the 'ten steps to cyber security' guidance, which can be found on the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website.