Cyber security guide developed for North West firms

The North West Cyber Resilience Centre has published a new guide to help small businesses reduce their risk of cyber crime, with research showing that half of manufacturers have suffered cyber attacks.

According to figures revealed by Make UK in the summer, switching to home working and remote monitoring during the pandemic significantly increased the vulnerability of manufacturers to cyber crime.

The new guide from the North West Cyber Resilience Centre (NWCRC) is specifically designed to help small businesses improve their knowledge of cyber security and reduce their chances of becoming a victim.

The guide covers:

• What is Cyber Security?
• What is Ransomware?
• What is Account Compromise?
• What are the signs of Business Email Compromise?
• Back-ups
• Reporting and useful resources.

Neil Jones, Managing Director of the NWCRC, said:

“Small business owners will understandably have a lot of questions when it comes to cyber security. Whilst many larger companies are starting to offer more security awareness training and invest in vulnerability assessments of their own networks, we know many micro and small business owners simply can't afford this.

“This small business guide has been made available to offer trusted guidance and support to the North West business community and reinforce the cyber security basics with owners and staff alike.”

Police forces in the North West have dedicated teams who are highly trained and experienced in investigating cyber crime. Businesses suffering a live cyber attack are urged to call the Police immediately on 101 or report the attack to Action Fraud.