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David Navin, Corporate Security Specialist at Smoothwall:

“The fact that 92% of business have suffered a cyber security breach in the last five years highlights the inescapable fact that security breaches are very much a threat that needs to be at the top of every boardroom’s agenda. Gone are the days when companies prepared for ‘if’ a cyber-attack occurred – now, they must be ready for ‘when’ a breach takes place. In this digital age companies have a wealth of data and information, making them very lucrative targets for cyber criminals. It is vital therefore that companies protect themselves and have a robust plan in place in the event of an attack, as the fall out could cause immense reputational damage to a company.

“What’s more, it is shocking that only 13% of businesses believe they could lose customers in the event of a breach, which is incredibly naive from those who don’t think a breach will affect their reputation, as it can in actual fact have grievous financial and reputational repercussions.

“Thanks to where the purse strings lie, a company’s security and IT department need to hit home with its board, CEO, CFO and CTO, ensuring they are educated to the risks and understand the importance of having strong security measures in place. It is essential to have enterprise grade security solutions in place beginning with firewalls, encryption and good security software. Security needs to be taken seriously at all points of the organisation, to ensure that all employees understand the risks of their actions and know the security processes in place should an incident occur, in order to mitigate the risks in the event of a breach.”