Regional Cyber Resilience Centre offering local businesses free cyber services

• The PCC, Chris Nelson, joined the Cyber Resilience Centre and officers on a walk around Cheltenham Town Centre, offering local businesses the opportunity to sign up
• The Centre is a police/private not-for-profit partnership, funded by the Home Office and covering the South West
• They offer local businesses and charities free monthly cyber support, which includes nationally produced guidance setting out key risks and how to reduce them
• 32% of UK businesses were targeted in cyber breaches and attacks last year

PCC Chris Nelson joined the South-West Cyber Resilience Centre and Gloucestershire PCSO’s on a walk through Cheltenham Town Centre, encouraging local businesses to sign up for free cyber support.

During the walk, leaflets and advice were given to independent businesses in Cheltenham Town Centre. The walk was successful, with many business owners keen to learn more and wanting to engage with the Cyber Resilience Centre to help reduce their risks to cyber-attacks.

This was part of a planned two-day visit to Gloucestershire by the regional Cyber Resilience Centre, which will see visits to Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury.

The threats to businesses can take many forms such as traditional website attacks or email phishing, but more recently threats included fraudsters emailing businesses to change payment details.

Businesses and charities can register with the Centre for free. This offers a package of nationally produced guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre, which highlights the key risks, how to reduce them, and a small programme to help coach businesses. This is followed up with personal contact, a free consultation with the cyber team, and a regular newsletter which includes the latest scams and threats.

For a small fee, the Centre will also provide trained undergraduates through its partnerships with universities who will conduct audits, or at the highest level, cyber experts.

In 2022, 32% of UK businesses and 24% of charities were targeted in cyber breaches or attacks, and only 18% of businesses provide some form of staff cyber security training. Additionally, the average cost to businesses of any size from the single most disruptive breach is an average of £1,100.

The PCC, Chris Nelson, said: “I’ve found it really interesting going out and about with the Cyber Resilience Centre today. The support that they’re able to offer small businesses for free is absolutely vital in helping to combat devastating crimes.

“The effects of cyber crime are often overlooked, so I am really pleased that there is now a bigger focus on the issue, coupled with funding from the Home Office. I look forward to seeing how many businesses take up the offer of support”

Mark Moore, Director of the South-West Cyber Resilience Centre, said: “Policing has a growing capacity to help local businesses and charities with the threat they face from cyber-crime. Consistently, we speak with people who are plagued with scam emails, or who’ve had their systems and accounts attacked. Simple protective measures can make such a difference, and that’s the message we’re hoping to spread within Gloucestershire.

“The cyber resilience centre provides free support, with a curated package of simple emails walking organisations through all of those simple measures – they things we were never taught at school. We also regularly update our community on the latest threats – emails to look out for, things to update, software to uninstall.

“We’re here to make cyber resilience accessible, and for those who haven’t yet found us on our website (www.swcrc.co.uk) a bit of in-person interaction is a great way to spread the message.”

Grace Major, owner of Little Interior Co, said: “It’s really good to know that there is support available for small businesses in the cyber world. Businesses don’t always have the expertise or staff to be able to do this, especially when it can be so complicated. I’ll be forwarding the Centre’s contact details onto others in the area because I know that they’ll find it really beneficial.”

For more information or to sign up, please visit www.swcrc.co.uk.