If you’re a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) then there’s around a 1 in 2 chance that you’ll experience a cyber security breach.
Think you're not a target?
Did you know that 39% of all UK businesses reported a cyber-attack between March 2020 and Feb 2021 and for micro / small businesses, an attack could result in costs of around £900?
The National Cyber Security Council (NCSC) is an online resource offering cyber security advice, online tools, and guides to assist small businesses in safeguarding themselves against common cyber threats.
Highlighted resources for SMEs include:
Cyber Aware - email is where you keep your most personal and financial information. Learn how to stay secure online and take your email security to another level.
Free Cyber Action Plan - answer a few simple questions to get a free personalised action plan that lists what you or your organisation can do right now to protect against cyber-attack.
Cyber Essentials – a Government backed scheme that will help you to protect your organisation, whatever its size, against a whole range of the most common cyber-attacks. Find out how to get certified to reassure customers, attract new business and gain a clear picture of your organisation's cyber security level.
Small Business Guide – a practical guide for SMEs to improving your cyber security with affordable, practical advice. Topics include backing up your data; protecting your organisation from Malware; keeping devices safe; using passwords to protect your data; and how to avoid phishing attacks.
Check your Cyber Security – a free government service for UK organisations which performs a range of simple online checks to identify common vulnerabilities in your public-facing IT. All checks are remote, without the need to install software and uses the same kind of publicly available information as cyber criminals use to find easy targets.
AI and Cyber Security – understanding the risks (and benefits) of using Artificial Intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, questions you should ask about the security of your organisation’s AI systems and the NCSC’s Principles for the security of machine learning (published in 2022).
Cyber Advisors – the Cyber Advisor scheme provides SMEs with reliable and cost-effective cyber security advice and practical support. The scheme gives you the confidence that your chosen service provider is offering cyber security advice to an NCSC approved standard.
Action Fraud - The go to place to report a cyber crime.
For a full list of all guidance and advice topics on the NSCS website go to:
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/advice-guidance/all-topics
Overall, these resources aim to empower your businesses to enhance its cybersecurity posture, and protect your data, assets, and reputation in an increasingly digital landscape.
Videos, e-learning, infographic
Links to resources including a sharable YouTube video regarding the guide for small businesses.
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/small-business-guide/resources#section_2
