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UK businesses expect greater protection from police and government to fight cybercrime, Kaspersky research found
February 2022 by Kaspersky
Since the introduction of GDPR, the onus has been on companies to protect theirs and their customers’ data, but UK businesses are calling for more government support and police protection from cybercrime. According to a new Kaspersky survey, many organisations feel they do not receive the same level of police protection or assistance for cybersecurity incidents compared to other types of crime in the real world.
The findings are outlined in Kaspersky’s latest report, titled Must-have cybersecurity insights for proactive business decision makers, which highlights that business leaders feel more government and police support is needed. Indeed, nearly seven-in-10 (68%) say the government needs to go to greater lengths to provide the same level of police protection and punishment for cyber-crimes, as it does other crimes.
With serious repercussions facing CEOs who fail to protect personal data, cybercrime is a real concern for those in leadership positions. The report reveals that more than two thirds (67%) of leaders are worried they could be held personally liable if any cybersecurity incidents occur within their organisation. Gartner predicts that by 2024, three in four CEOs will be held personally responsible for a cybersecurity incident.
With the stakes high for leaders, it is concerning that six-in-10 decision makers (60%) feel they do not receive the same level of assurance for cybercrimes as they do if they fall victim to other crimes. In addition, 56% say the government does not provide enough support or assistance to organisations that are impacted by cybercrimes.
Christopher Hurst, General Manager of Kaspersky UK&I said: “UK businesses have been demanding greater government and police protection for some time now. It’s therefore encouraging to see that, through initiatives such as the recently launched Government Cyber Security Strategy 2022 to 2030, affirmative action is now being taken to make the UK the ‘safest place in the world’ to do business. Additionally, the Government’s National Cyber Strategy 2022 is a positive step towards protecting businesses and citizens alike.”
Kaspersky acknowledges that it will require companies and external parties to work together effectively for businesses to be adequately protected. As a result, organisations across all sectors should take the necessary steps to protect themselves against cybercrime by placing a greater emphasis on cyber defences, and improving their knowledge of the risks that digital crimes present.
“While these calls from businesses for greater support and protection are understandable, this is only achievable with a collective effort from all parties. Businesses themselves, law enforcement, the government and the cybersecurity industry must all work together to make organisations and companies more secure,” Hurst added.
“There are steps that companies can take on their own accord too. Businesses, including owners and operators of critical infrastructure entities, are not always fully aware of the cyber risks they inherit, the risks they own, the risks they pass on or the risks they bear, and this lack of understanding brings with it inherent dangers. Few companies see cybersecurity dangers as relevant to their businesses, and if they do, many of them do not have the knowledge required to implement cybersecurity measures. It is clear that a greater understanding is required.”
To compensate for the lack of resources and expertise, and to boost the reaction against complex and advanced threats, companies should consider using external cybersecurity expertise – combined with a trusted and recognised technology. Partnering with one, savvy cyber security partner can ensure visibility across all endpoints on the corporate network and superior defences, enabling the automation of routine tasks to discover, prioritise, investigate and neutralise complex threats and Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) like attacks.
The ‘Must-have cybersecurity insights for proactive business decision makers’, report is available here, and includes a checklist for business decision makers on how they can optimise their cyber-protection, step-by-step.
Methodology
The survey was conducted by Arlington Research on behalf of Kaspersky in August 2021. It involved an online survey of 1,500 business decision makers in Europe – 250 each from Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic. 62% of respondents are employed in companies and organisations with a size of 50 to 999 employees and 38% with more than 1,000 employees.
