Cybercrime is on the rise but, thanks to a Government campaign, methods of saving UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) millions have been identified.
The Cyber Aware campaign has been looking into how both the public and small businesses perceive cybercrime. Its report has highlighted a growing gulf between the two. The Government is now calling for a unified voice from the SME community, in order to educate the public on the dangers out there and the need for robust cyber security.
A worrying 1.6 million people fell victim to bank or credit card fraud in 2017, with one in eight not receiving full redress for their loss. The report also showed that 1.2 million were victims of computer misuse, which covers offences such as malware infection, information loss or hijacks.
There were three main misconceptions, from both the public and the business community, which the report identified when it came to tackling cybercrime. These were:

• Cybercrime isn’t real
• Cybercrime isn’t something to be concerned about
• Cybercrime cannot be protected against.

These misconceptions reflect how the crime is being underestimated and how it is able to become more prevalent.
Cyber Aware has called on businesses across the board to be more proactive in educating not only their staff but also the public about the severity of cybercrime. Simple measures, as outlined by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) can be taken, which will play a role in reducing the number of offences committed. These include:

• Strong and unique passwords for email and online accounts
• Keeping software and apps updated
• Installing effective malware and anti-virus protection.

Ben Wallace, the Minister for Security and Economic Crime, said: “Cybercrime has been identified as one of the biggest criminal threats to British business. Raising cyber awareness is important if we are to take advantage of investment in capability currently taking place in both the public and private sector.”