Properly protecting your business from cyber-related risks is a challenge that every business owner faces, regardless of how large their business is. Some people believe that only large corporations are vulnerable to cyber-related attacks, but smaller organizations are at an even greater risk. 60% of small companies go out of business within six months of falling victim to a data breach or cyber-attack. Although 95% of small to medium Irish businesses experienced a cyber-attack in the past year, most Irish SMEs do not have the proper resources or skills to defend themselves properly from an attack.

This video which you can watch here demonstrates  the type of impact a cyber-attack can have on the average small business owner in Ireland. It was developed as part of the Science Foundation Ireland National Challenge Fund “Digital for Resilience for SMEs.”

Workshops with SMEs have revealed that it is difficult for business owners to identify and tackle their cybersecurity risks. Many view cybersecurity as a separate risk from their business operations, and most are vulnerable to attacks due to inadequate defense measures. Insights from over 100 meetings and interviews with business owners have helped identify key cybersecurity challenges for SMEs and have informed the development of practical and achievable cybersecurity solutions.

The Digital Resilience for SMEs project is developing a risk assessment tool, training, and support for small businesses, which will be rolled out this year.

If you would like to get involved, we are always interested in partnerships with small businesses and cybersecurity experts. Please contact us for more information at cyber-resilience@cyberskills.ie