

It is fair to say that cyber threats have become incredibly sophisticated over the previous few years and a pose a real threat to companies of all shapes and sizes.

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Cyber-attacks and breaches can cause huge upheaval to a business and the consequences can be damaging to your bottom line as well as your reputation.

Given the frequent nature of cyber security threats, it is fair to say that it’s a case of when, not if, your organisation will be a victim of cyber-crime.

Why cyber-attacks happen: 

Generally speaking, cyber breaches occur because hackers and criminals want to gain access to your company’s assets, namely: happen because the criminals are after one of the following assets:

  • Financial details
  • Details of your customers’ and employees’ data
  • Customer databases and inventory list
  • Your IT infrastructure and services

Cyber-attacks against businesses are most often deliberate and tend to be motived by financial gain and the most common industries targeted by criminals include: financial services, professional services, manufacturing and retail.

The state of cyber-crime in the UK

Recent reports show that over 40% of companies were victim of a cyber security breach/attack – as only 27% of businesses have a formal cyber security policy.

Yet in order to protect themselves from a potentially catastrophic cyber-attack, businesses and organisations need to ensure they have the right systems and processes in place.

Here we have outlined five key steps businesses should adhere to help safeguard their vital assets.

Identify the threats and have the correct security measures in place:

Basic measures such as ensuring no unauthorized users have access to your system is critical to ensure you don’t lose access to vital information. Given that most companies rely heavily on online systems to run their business, it’s imperative that the correct measures are put in place to ensure cyber hackers can’t access your infrastructure and inflict harm to your organisation.  Cyber threats aren't just online, they can be introduced by someone within the company or a third-party, such as a contractor so it's therefore important to restrict staff and third-party access to IT equipment, systems and information to the minimum required.

Conduct audits on a regular basis

Given the sensitivity of data, it is imperative that any company who stores, manages and utilises data have stringent checks in place in order to avoid a leak. For this specific purpose, a content audit carried out by digital security specialists will ensure that your data is securely stored and compliant.

Educate key stakeholders about digital security

When it comes to cyber security, it is absolutely imperative that all of your firm’s staff are properly trained when using technology securely. Holding regular staff meetings and training briefings will help boost knowledge and make staff more aware of both the internal and external threats posed by digital security. In doing so, this will enable businesses to create a cyber security-orientated culture within the company to help combat cyber threats.

Protect data and ensure you have robust back-up systems in place

The availability and integrity of your back-up data is key to responding to cyber threats. The hardware and software solution you choose to make up your data protection solution will dictate how secure your back-up data is. Discover more about Celerity’s Citadel can help you achieve a robust cyber security solution here.

Minimising the risks by insuring your organisation

There are many companies that offer insurance policies against cybercrimes and attackers. This can prove to be a good investment for your company as it covers all the risks and threats that arise because of hackers and viruses. Moreover, by covering your company for cybercrime, you will also have an idea about the damages that you can suffer and have an estimate of the level of the risk that your company is involved in.


Want to find out more?

Are you looking to find out more about cyber security and how you can take your next steps to safeguarding your IT infrastructure? Download our eBook below. 

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David Taylor

Written by David Taylor

David is a Digital Marketing Executive at Celerity and drives their digital activity including campaigns, website, blog writing and social media. He has a passion for digital marketing and all things tech - especially in cyber security.