CYBERCRIME
25% of small businesses would be unable to survive a cyber attack
Tourism businesses in Devon and Cornwall are being urged to be extra vigilant this summer to the rising threat of cybercrime. The warning comes from the South West Cyber Resilience Centre (SWCRC), a police-led, not-for-profit organisation, which is advising businesses to stay safe. We’re all familiar with the increase in scam messages and ransomware headlines in recent times. And with a recent Airbnb report on trending staycation locations seeing six areas of Cornwall, Devon and Gloucestershire claiming top ten listings, there’s a risk that they look like rich pickings for the criminals. Mark Moore, director for the SWCRC advises tourist operators that improving their cyber resilience is essential. “A recent survey suggested that around 25% of small businesses would be unable to survive a cyber attack.” he says. “Government statistics suggest that the average annual cost to a business hit by attack is over £8k. We know that the tourist sector in particular has been enormously impacted by events of the last year, and many of its businesses have extremely limited resilience right now. That’s why we particularly want to ensure that they do the simple things that they can, to keep themselves safer.
Don’t let the criminals win As the Devon and Cornwall tourism industry gets back in full swing, there are warnings that cyber criminals won’t be taking a break this summer.
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TALKING TOURISM
“We know that cyber can sound difficult and complicated, and that’s precisely what we’re here to help you with. Sure, there are technical fixes to make you safer, but with a recent survey suggesting that 85% of breaches had a human element, just knowing what to look out for can go a very long way. “Every month, we can offer a really good update on the latest threats to look out for, and we can give you clear national guidance about the quick things that will make you so much safer. “And, then, if you do want someone to take a closer look at your systems and give them a health-check, our partnerships with regional universities mean that we can help you out in a very cost-effective way.
SUMMER 2021
