One in five UK companies hit by cyber attacks in last year
By Conor Coyle
Date: Tuesday 18 Apr 2017
(ShareCast News) - UK businesses are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks, with as many as 20% having fallen victim over the last 12 months.
Research conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce found that larger companies were more prone to attack, with 42% of those with 100 staff or more having attracted the attention hackers and other cyber criminals.
More than 1,200 British firms were involved in the survey, with 21% of those expressing a fear that the rise in cyber-crime poses a threat to the growth of their company.
"Cyber-attacks risk companies' finances, confidence and reputation, with victims reporting not only monetary losses but costs from disruption to their business and productivity," said BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall. "While firms of all sizes - from major corporations to one-man operations - fall prey to attacks, our evidence shows that large companies are more likely to experience them."
Less than a quarter of those companies included in the research were found to not have any type of cyber security accreditation, with smaller businesses falling to as low as 10% in that regard.
Marshall urged caution from companies in their online operations, calling on businesses to ensure they are adequately protected by the new category of crime.
"Firms need to be proactive about protecting themselves from cyber-attacks. Accreditations can help businesses assess their own IT infrastructure, defend against cyber-security breaches and mitigate the damage caused by an attack. It can also increase confidence among the businesses and clients who they engage with online," Marshall said.
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