Get free cyber training – paid for by the government

We all heard about the major cyber-attack on M&S earlier this year. It disrupted its online orders and in-store services for several weeks, leading to a £300m loss in profits. But this is not just an issue for big business and household names.

Over the last few years, and in my role as the new Small Business Commissioner, I have heard from a growing number of small firms who have been targeted. I see how late payments drain cash flow and cause stress – and a cyber attack on top of that can be overwhelming.

In this climate, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to cyber resilience. Thankfully, there is help at hand when it comes to accessing expert resources and support.

The UK’s network of regional Cyber Resilience Centres (CRCs) is a government-supported, police-led initiative designed to help SMEs and third-sector organisations increase cyber resilience. The CRCs operate under the umbrella of the National Cyber Resilience Centre Group (NCRCG), a not-for-profit partnership funded by the Home Office, policing bodies, and private-sector partners.

You will see that CRCs offer a range of support, some free of charge, from resources and guidance via the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) through to opportunities for networking with police cyber and fraud protection officers.

Your business might also be interested in their affordable security awareness training, vulnerability assessments, and business continuity exercises to test a firm’s readiness to respond to and recover from a cyber-attack.

I was pleased to see that the North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC) is already having a positive impact. They have worked with a variety of small and micro-businesses, including an engineering firm, a charity, and an academy trust.

Could your business be next?

This content is contributed by a guest author. Startups.co.uk / MVF does not endorse or take responsibility for any views, advice, analysis or claims made within this post.