The government has released the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2016 report, which has found the nearly seven out of ten attacks on all firms involved viruses, spyware or malware.
The Federation of Small Businesses has welcomed the report as a sign that the government is trying to better understand the threat posed by cyber-attacks on businesses.
FSB National Chairman Mike Cherry said that cyber-crime affects all businesses, but hits smaller firms the hardest as they struggle to absorb the costs the most.
He said: “Smaller businesses want to embrace the opportunities a digital world provides but these can also lead to vulnerabilities. With the nature, scale and costs of cyber security breaches escalating, smaller businesses need access to cyber security resources and clear advice on how to become cyber resilient.
“As this report suggests, smaller businesses would benefit from increased awareness of the Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme. This can be achieved by more investment in signposting.”
However, Cherry warned that while smaller firms must play their part, the “responsibility for improving business resilience to cyber threats must not fall heavily on those least able to bear the burden”. Government and larger businesses must do their bit to tackle this problem.
