One of the country’s leading cyber security companies joined NatWest to advise its commercial and corporate clients about protecting their information.
Rupert Irons and Ash Williams from C3IA Solutions attended the Cyber Crime and Fraud Awareness seminar held at Urban Reef on Bournemouth beach in Dorset.
NatWest’s commercial office in Poole organised the event to brief its clients about cyber security and what they can do to prevent attack.
The bank’s fraud analyst Sarah Grant explained how all businesses are at risk and how fraudsters are constantly changing their modus operandi.
She also spoke about the potentially disastrous effects that a successful data breach has on a company.
Professional services giant PwC has said that £857,000 is the average annual cost incurred by UK firms who have fallen victim to cyber-attacks and data breaches.
The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) has revealed that 53 per cent of UK firms now consider a cyber-attack as the main threat facing them in the near future.
Rupert Irons from C3IA Solutions, which is based in Poole, said: “It is really good that NatWest and its clients are taking this subject seriously, as many businesses still don’t.
“Being aware of how cyber-attacks work and what damage they can do is the first step in securing a business against them.
“While there are practical steps businesses can take to reduce risk, training the staff is crucial because people are often the weakest point.
“Because cyber-security is not mandatory some businesses don’t take precautions, but this is a mistake.”
Ash Williams, C3IA Solutions’ expert in Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures (TSCM) or ‘bug sweeping’, brought a number of devices with him that are used in industrial espionage.
As these devices are now incredibly cheap and hidden within everyday items such as smoke alarms and plugs, more businesses are using them to snoop on rivals.
Louise Garner, relationship team officer for NatWest, said: “Organising these events is important in educating and keeping our customers up-to-date on fraud.
“Fraud is becoming such an increasing problem and it is key that our customers know how to keep their businesses safe and avoid becoming a victim.
“It is great that Sarah, Rupert and Ash were able to take the time out of their busy schedules to relay key messages and make us all aware of how cyber-attacks take place and the damage they can cause.”
C3IA Solutions was one of the first six companies to be certified by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – part of GCHQ.
One of the country’s leading cyber security companies joined NatWest to advise its commercial and corporate clients about protecting their information.
Rupert Irons and Ash Williams from C3IA Solutions attended the Cyber Crime and Fraud Awareness seminar held at Urban Reef on Bournemouth beach in Dorset.
NatWest’s commercial office in Poole organised the event to brief its clients about cyber security and what they can do to prevent attack.
The bank’s fraud analyst Sarah Grant explained how all businesses are at risk and how fraudsters are constantly changing their modus operandi.
She also spoke about the potentially disastrous effects that a successful data breach has on a company.
Professional services giant PwC has said that £857,000 is the average annual cost incurred by UK firms who have fallen victim to cyber-attacks and data breaches.
The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) has revealed that 53 per cent of UK firms now consider a cyber-attack as the main threat facing them in the near future.
Rupert Irons from C3IA Solutions, which is based in Poole, said: “It is really good that NatWest and its clients are taking this subject seriously, as many businesses still don’t.
“Being aware of how cyber-attacks work and what damage they can do is the first step in securing a business against them.
“While there are practical steps businesses can take to reduce risk, training the staff is crucial because people are often the weakest point.
“Because cyber-security is not mandatory some businesses don’t take precautions, but this is a mistake.”
Ash Williams, C3IA Solutions’ expert in Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures (TSCM) or ‘bug sweeping’, brought a number of devices with him that are used in industrial espionage.
As these devices are now incredibly cheap and hidden within everyday items such as smoke alarms and plugs, more businesses are using them to snoop on rivals.
Louise Garner, relationship team officer for NatWest, said: “Organising these events is important in educating and keeping our customers up-to-date on fraud.
“Fraud is becoming such an increasing problem and it is key that our customers know how to keep their businesses safe and avoid becoming a victim.
“It is great that Sarah, Rupert and Ash were able to take the time out of their busy schedules to relay key messages and make us all aware of how cyber-attacks take place and the damage they can cause.”
C3IA Solutions was one of the first six companies to be certified by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – part of GCHQ.