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David Navin, Head of Corporate at Smoothwall: “It is incredibly worrying that two thirds of smaller businesses have been victim of cybercrime in the past two years and more definitely needs to be done. Many simply don’t feel they are at risk from cyber attack – feeling bigger brand names are more in the firing line. While in some cases, SMEs don’t feel they hold enough valuable data to be a target. They are wrong. SMEs are a very attractive target to a hacker. Not only are they often part of supply chains and could therefore provide hackers with a way in to attack larger companies, but they also don’t tend to have the same level of security in place as their larger counterparts. This means SMEs are not only an appealing option to hackers, they are often an easy one.

“SMEs must act to protect their data and that of their partners, complying with regulation and building layered security defences spanning encryption, firewalls, web filtering and ongoing threat monitoring. While security regulation may not always directly impact SMEs, often directed at large organisations, they must take a proactive stance. Not only will it protect them now – but if they are seen as a security weakness, they will be a less attractive partner for large companies. Suddenly, security impacts SMEs bottom line and growth prospects. In taking a smarter approach to cyber security, SMEs protect their future – readying themselves for growth and making themselves a watertight part of a cyber defence strategy.”