This week (October 16 - 20) the North West Cyber Resilience Centre (NWCRC) has taken part in the Safer Business Action Week. The initiative is organised by the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), which represents police at a national level to work in partnership with the business community.

The NWCRC works very closely with all of the North West regional police forces and other partnership organisations to provide education and support around cyber security and cybercrime.

DI Dan Giannasi, head of cyber and innovation at the NWCRC, spoke at an event on Monday in Liverpool organised by Merseyside Police for business owners. He said: "It’s great to see policing working alongside businesses to prevent crime, and the threat from cybercrime should be a key consideration for every organisation. Attacks can have devastating effects and small businesses often see cyber security as too complex or challenging because of financial or time constraints.

“However by taking small steps to build resilience before an attack, you can reduce the risk of it happening and minimise the damage if it does. The North West Cyber Resilience Centre provides free support to organisations across the region to understand their risks and take effective steps to protect themselves."

Merseyside Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: "This week is an excellent opportunity to support the business community by bringing together police and partners to discuss the key issues of business crime.

The focus of Safer Business Action Week this year is retail shops. Not only do they face the ongoing issues of shoplifting, they also have to deal with cybercrime issues.

A report by ZipDo, released in 2023, found that in 2020 nearly 39% of cyber security breaches affected retail businesses. On top of that, they found that 84% of retail organisations are at risk from cyber threats. More than 50% of retail businesses do not have an incident plan.

One of the main issues facing large retail businesses is phishing emails trying to gain access to the IT network.

For smaller or independent retailers, they often see fake invoices coming through, as well as phishing emails to try to gain entry to their online systems.

To help, the North West Cyber Resilience Centre has been established to provide retail and eCommerce businesses of all sizes with an affordable way to access cyber security services designed to help improve cyber resilience.

• We have a free membership for all businesses in the North West; becoming a member will enable you to receive a welcome pack full of practical resources and tools designed to help you identify your risks and vulnerabilities and the steps you can take to increase your levels of protection.

• Through your membership, you will also get regular updates on new threats designed to help you stay safer. So sign up today or contact us to receive a 1-2-1 consultation to see how we can support your business through training, guidance and affordable security services.