Half of SMEs just an hour from cyber danger
The IT systems of half of UK businesses could be hacked in less than an hour by increasingly sophisticated hackers, a leading security expert has claimed.
Following several high profile attacks on the likes of Sony, Walter Rossi from Daisy Group has suggested that the majority of firms have little or no protection against hacking.
Cyber hacking is viewed as an increasingly serious risk, and one that many companies are simply not prepared for.
While most businesses have more than adequate protection against viruses and malware, Mr Rossi suggested there is little protection against more sophisticated techniques.
Potentially, this means that private and personal data could be accessed while hackers could also disrupt business operations.
This could potentially spell disaster for any firm that is victim to a hack, as its reputation would be damaged; it could lose custom and its finances be negatively affected.
Attacks on small and medium businesses can even provide a stepping stone to much larger organisations, placing many parts of a supply chain at risk.
Mr Rossi said the issue can be often viewed as a “big business problem” but that in truth it is one can affect any business of any size.
Therefore, investing in security measures could benefit the company in the long-term, even if it stretches their finances.
Potential fines and monetary losses could spell disaster should a company be hacked and could even leave them on the brink of insolvency in some instances.
Acting quickly in the event of a hack is essential to protecting as much information as possible, especially if a private data leak could occur.
Losing control of a website or online data storage system can mean sensitive information is released and while there is no perfect solution, having an up-to-date security system can at least hinder hackers.
This can provide additional time to protect at risk information, especially if the system is capable of identifying when a security breach has occurred.
By Phil Smith