As the world becomes more connected with digital technology and businesses move online, the growth of cyber crimes is increasing rapidly. According to the Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey which was conducted in 2021/2022, 39% of UK businesses identified a cyber-attack, and although the number is slightly lower than previous years, the rise of cyber security as a high priority for businesses means that attacks are more easily identified and reported. Those businesses with less mature cyber security in place are less likely to be able to identify attacks and therefore may be underreporting.
The report also gives more insight into the type of cyber crimes that are affecting businesses, it says:
“Of the 39% of UK businesses who identified an attack, the most common threat vector was phishing attempts (83%). Of the 39%, around one in five (21%) identified a more sophisticated attack type such as a denial of service, malware, or ransomware attack.”
Of those businesses included in the report, 31% estimate that they were attacked at least once a week and one in five say that the attack directly resulted in a negative outcome for their business.
As the prevalence of cyber crimes becomes more known, businesses should be directing their resources to prevent cyber-attacks, however, many organisations are failing to correctly evaluate and assess the risks that cyber crimes may pose.
With increasing legislation around data handling across the UK and Europe, the associated risks are not just financial, as failing to stay compliant with current rules and regulation around data loss can result in reputational damage, which can often be far more costly to larger businesses than the financial penalties imposed.
Taking steps to mitigate the risks posed by the growth of cyber-crime should be high on the agenda for organisations of any size. So, what can you do to prevent a technological attack?
Identify where you are most at risk
Your first step to preventing cyber crime having a detrimental effect on your business is to identify where you are most at risk. This may be through an internal review, or you can outsource to an expert. Private investigators may not seem like the obvious choice; however, they have the knowledge and expertise in all areas of security, and due to the growth of cybercrime, many reputable agencies have adapted their skills to mirror the evolution in the technology and can match the criminals in technical know-how.
Security firms or private investigative firms can also evaluate all your internal computer systems and policies, identify your weaknesses, and advise on what solutions are needed and where, to help you mitigate potential cyber threats.
Implement security policies and procedures
If you have correctly identified where your security is lacking, then it is helpful to educate your employees and implement policies and procedures in the event of a cyber-attack. This can also help prevent accidental data breaches.
Having a set of strict policies can help give your employees a deeper understanding of security procedures and a greater standard across the enterprise. Always make sure your policies include acceptable use of company information, data management, passwords and information shared with third parties. This knowledge can give your employees a greater awareness and safety when online, helping to prevent the more obvious phishing attacks.
Use security software
There are many automated software programmes on the market that can help businesses manage and monitor an entire security framework, covering possible cyber threats. Due to the modern advancement of current technology and the increasing expertise of cyber criminals, we would always recommend using a digital platform to improve the efficiency of your corporate security. Having anti-virus software is simply no longer enough to protect your business from cyber criminals, you always need to be one step ahead. This means implementing software that can offer a robust security system, including a strong firewall and having file backups stored at a single, off-site, secure location.
You can also use software security features such as access control, so you know exactly who has permission to be where within your computer system. You can also use device authentication, so you know the identity and credentials of anyone accessing your corporate network. Proxy servers can be a significant tool for added identity security and helps protect any sensitive or personal information. By using the added security features offered by technology, you gain a higher standard of cyber security and reduce the risk to your business.
If you are unsure of what software solution to choose that would integrate with your current technology and software, then ask your local private investigator for advice. They can do a full review of your current systems and advise where you need to strengthen your security.
How OpSec Solutions can help
As businesses adopt digital and automated security solutions to protect their data and manage the increasing risk of the economic global market, and with cyber-crime on the rise, it is important that your corporate security evolves and grows to match the technology and techniques used by criminals. As your business moves forward digitally, security services such as the ones provided by OpSec solutions, can identify areas of vulnerability, and provide the framework to help protect businesses and manage, mitigate, and eliminate any cyber threats.
OpSec Solutions balances a team of highly trained personnel from a range of police, military, and corporate backgrounds, with years of experience in corporate security, and uses state-of-the art equipment and technology, to help identify potential cyber security risks to your business and mitigate future threats. This proactive approach and the strategies created by OpSec Solutions to protect your organisation, information, and assets, can anticipate weaknesses, and prevent cybercrime and data breaches before they happen.
Although conducting your business online will never be risk-free, with a good strategy and the framework in place to support it, you can make the most of the opportunities afforded by a digital platform without having to deal with a negative outcome. Therefore, to support your business and effectively manage your cyber security, we would highly recommend OpSec Solutions. They are a fully accredited, professional standard, security service that can conduct a systems analysis to help protect key areas of your business and to provide risk management solutions and the framework needed for a secure environment and smooth running of your operations.
We can also support your business in cases of corporate theft, cybercrime, or fraud. Using our technology to monitor a range of media and with legal access to video and audio recordings, corporate phone call records and computer activity, we can help assess any security breaches and provide actionable evidence.
If you feel our services could provide your business with the protection you need, please contact OpSec Solutions today to discuss how to effectively manage your cyber security, with packages tailored to suit your individual requirements. We have offices in London, Manchester, and Cheshire, but can provide innovative technology and corporate security both in the UK and abroad.
Please contact us today using our contact form on the website or call us on 0844-664-1125 to arrange a free consultation.