No matter what industry you work in, almost every business is run on computers and has some staff ,working remotely or using mobile devices. This makes them more efficient and organised, right up until the moment your online security is breached.

Whether you’re locked out of your website, your administration rights are lost, or customers' data is held to ransom, when you are the victim of a cyberattack, it can bring your business to an immediate halt or have you facing some big decisions.

It is those moments when having the right processes, procedures, ongoing training and a ,security incident plan becomes invaluable, knowing your company will recover.

MJ, Cyber Security Consultant for the North West Cyber Resilience Centre explains;

“Many small businesses simply cannot justify the high cost of some cyber security products, so working with the Cyber Resilience Centre is a great way to keep the wheels of business turning should an incident occur.”

Many small businesses have a tendency to rely on their IT provider

An ,IT provider is the company who you ring when the wi-fi isn’t working or you want to upgrade the laptops in your office. They can have a huge selection of services and knowledge about computers to sort out most of your problems. But, if a member of staff clicks a phishing email or is tricked into sending an invoice to a cybercriminal, would they be on hand to support you?

Think when. Not if.

Security awareness training is critical because cybercrime can affect any size and kind of business – think when not if. Threats are continually changing, your employees are the biggest target in your business. Hackers know staff can be soft targets and with the right methods be exploited to hand over data and money. Whilst basic knowledge of cyber security should be expected from all your employees, it’s important to implement your own cyber security training.

The 2022 Cyber Security Breaches Report found that just 17% of businesses have had training or awareness-raising sessions on cyber security in the last 12 months.

Our ,security awareness training offers your staff specific guidance based on the threats your industry faces. We make your staff aware of the most common cyberattacks, such as; phishing emails, ransomware and impersonating key members of staff in your organisation.

“Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be particularly vulnerable to fraud due to tough economic conditions and limited resources. It is important to ensure that your employees receive ongoing training in identifying scams, particularly those working in accounts payable, as the consequences of falling for cyber attacks like Invoicing fraud can inevitably result in redundancies and the closure of businesses."

- Jade Hutchinson FCCA, Forensic Accountant, GMP

Staff are your front line of defence

The majority of attacks rely on some form of human error. 67% of cyber breaches and attacks are successful due to human error or a password being weak and then compromised. Cybercriminals aren’t looking just at large firms, they are looking for vulnerabilities in your network and your staff.

For example, a simple Phishing attack can open the door to many other attacks such as ransomware, invoice hijacking etc. It's vital that all staff members are aware of how attackers operate and are on high alert when noticing suspicious activity.

The 2022 Cyber Security Breaches Report found that just 33% of companies manage cyber security risks through cyber risk assessments, and only 35% of businesses are monitoring staff activities.

The average annual cost for businesses, when faced with a cyber attack, is £4,200*, which includes lost data or assets after breaches, showing the continued need for security awareness training.

*For medium and large businesses this figure rises to £19,400.

The key to security awareness training is to equip all your employees with a level of awareness to combat these threats. Employees need to be taught what clues to look for that indicate threats, and how to respond when they see them.

We want to help you start your journey to understand the basics and why cyber security is important to all businesses regardless of size or sector.

Contact the Cyber Resilience Centre to deliver Security Awareness Training

The Cyber Resilience Centre can deliver your staff security awareness training through a full or half-day session either online or in person in your office. Sessions are interactive for attendees and build upon key learnings through examples specific to your business and the industry you work in.

Security Awareness Training not only features prevention techniques but also includes how to manage the situation if you do suffer an attack. Training can also be bundled together with a ,Simulated Phishing Exercise, which helps to raise your staff's awareness of phishing emails and guards your business against the growing trend of social-engineering threats. By training your employees about what a phishing attack looks like, they are more likely to identify and report scams.

If you feel our Security Awareness Training or Simulated Phishing Exercise could benefit your business or a business in your supply chain ,get in touch and we can discuss how we can support you today.