The cyber security stats you need to be aware of

If you ask IBM’s president and CEO, ‘cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world’. And looking at the latest government statistics, 43% of UK businesses suffered a breach or attack in the last 12 months. That’s nearly half!

It’s clearly a problem. And one we’ll have to work together to combat. So, first things first, how do we get this across in our comms? Let’s look at the numbers and see…

1. Cyber criminals don’t take a break.

Since 2013, there have been 3,809,448 records stolen from breaches every single day. And that’s just at the time of writing this.

That’s 158,727 per hour, 2,656 per minute, or 44 every second of every day.

For a threat this constant, you’ll need to be consistent with your comms to keep it at bay. Try regular reminders with a different focus each month. From passwords to phishing emails, malware attacks to spam, there’s plenty of different areas to focus on.
 

2. Every business is a target. No matter how big or small.

Over two thirds of large businesses (72%) identified a breach or attack in the last 12 months.

And it’s not just big companies that need to watch out, nearly two in ten (19%) charities experienced an attack.

The most common attacks were fraudulent emails, with many criminals impersonating other businesses online.

Make an impact with comms that are relevant to your people 24/7. Don’t limit them with advice on how they can stay safe at work, help them protect themselves at home too.  If they’re thinking about cyber safety at home, they’ll be more engaged overall.

3. We’re all aware of the risks. But no-one really feels prepared.

Just 38% of global organisations say they’re prepared to handle a sophisticated cyber-attack.

And 69% of organisations don’t even believe their antivirus software is capable of blocking the threats they hear about.

You need your people to feel confident about handling any potential cyber security issues. To help them feel prepared, content should be your new best friend. Think short, simple ‘how to’ articles like ‘5 tips for spotting a phishing email’.

4. You can invest in as much security software as you want. But it won’t make a difference if you don’t train your people.

That’s because 95% of cyber security breaches are down to human error.

Despite this, just two in ten businesses (20%) have had staff undertake any kind of cyber security training in the past year.

And charities come in even lower, with just 15% taking part in training.

Make your comms a learning experience. Quizzes are great for challenging bad behaviours, while general knowledge tests full of hints and tips help with our overall learning.

5. But it’s not all bad news. We’re taking cyber security more seriously.

By 2020, the estimated number of passwords used around the world will have grown to 300 billion.

Ready to take your cyber security comms to the next level? Good choice. You’re in the right place.

We can help you with…

• Code of conduct
• Compliance
• Cyber security
• Safeguarding
• GDPR
• Security vetting
• Health & Safety

Give us a shout if you need some help.