Half of UK small business are cybercrime victims

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Nearly fifty per cent of small businesses in the UK have been victims of cybercrime, according to a new report from campaign group Get Safe Online.

The research, carried out by research company Vanson Bourne, found that more than a third of small businesses (36 per cent) have had a virus outbreak and 18 per cent have been the victims of a spyware, phishing or hacking attack in the last couple of years.

The study of 1,008 UK small businesses also found that barely five per cent of respondents had dedicated IT support to deal with the latest online threats to their businesses and 60 per cent of those surveyed said their businesses would come to a halt if their IT systems failed.

Two-thirds (66 per cent) of businesses surveyed stored vital documents on their PCs and 69 per cent also stored their customer details on IT equipment - less than a third (32 per cent) consider themselves to be completely up to date with current internet security issues.

The survey found that on average £1,450 was lost on downtime of system by UK small companies and this equated to £750 million across the whole country.

Managing director of Get Safe Online, Tony Neate said that small businesses are taking the general basic steps to protect themselves but "basic measures aren't enough on their own."

"Businesses also must look at access control, data encryption and secure password practices, as well as looking at other measures such as staff training," he said.

"It's also important to remember that by taking a few simple precautions, online risks needn't overshadow the huge benefits that the internet brings to UK businesses," said Neate.

John Dunsmure, managing director of the British Chamber of Commerce, said that it was "crucial that businesses know the risks and take steps to protect themselves, particularly in the case of smaller businesses, when often someone's livelihood can hang in the balance."

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