Members of the Chamber enjoyed a delicious networking breakfast at Trowbridge Old Town Hall on Friday 13th March, followed by a very informative talk about keeping your business safe from cybercrime.
Wiltshire Police’s Cyber Protect & Prevent officers Simon Goodwin and Simon Partington help individuals and businesses prevent cybercrime by raising awareness and supporting victims.
Cyber attacks remain a major risk for UK small and micro-businesses in particular, with 43% of all businesses and 50% of small businesses reporting a cyber breach/attack in the last 12 months.
The main types of attack are:
- Phishing – involved in around 92% of attacks
- Ransomeware – Organisations account for 96% of victims
- Email compromise & data theft – common among SMEs
- AI-driven impersonaton and supply-chain attacks are an emerging threat
Cyber attacks cost UK SMEs around £3.4 billion per year
The Average cost per attack is around £3,398 (small firms) or £5,000 (50+ employees)
Over the last 5 years, cybercrime caused £44 billion in total UK business losses (2024 study)
Additional consequences include lost revenue, downtime, reputational damage, legal and regulatory costs.
ACTIONS TO TAKE
- You are a target – attackers focus on easy victims
- Phishing protection – training, MFA, email filters should be top priority
- Prepare an indidence response plan before a breach happens
- Use low-cost defences – strong passwords, backups, software updates, cyber-insurance, and NCSC guidance
- Act now – AI-enhanced and supply-chain attacks are growing threats
FREE CYBER ACTION TOOLKIT – This helps sole traders and small businesses take simple steps to protect against cyber criminals.
JOIN THE CYBER RESILIENCE NETWORK – IT’S FREE!
