Cyber security has become more important within recent years and is set to become more important in the forthcoming years as cyber criminals are continuously developing their methods of attack. This has already resulted in many companies suffering from a data breach and suffering financially because of it.

The UK Home Office has acknowledged the increased threat that companies in the UK now face from cyber criminals and have therefore invested £4 million to launch a new information security awareness scheme. The first stage of this campaign is set to get underway in autumn and is designed to help educate businesses and consumers about the ever increasing threat that cyber criminals now pose.

The new scheme is set to help improve the government’s National Cyber Security Programme as it is set to complement other well-established initiatives such as Get Safe Online. In order to get the scheme up and running, the Home Office are inviting bids from media, PR and creative agencies to create a campaign that will help educate small business and consumers about methods that will help them avoid becoming a victim of a cybercriminal.

Security Minister James Brokenshire stated, “The digitisation of the UK economy has made our lives easier and has created huge opportunities, but it has also created individual security risks as well. If we are to meet these new challenges it’s essential we step up our efforts to stay safe online. The threat of cybercrime is real and the criminals involved are organised and driven by profit. By making small changes British businesses can remain competitive in the global economy and consumers can have greater confidence using the internet.

Mark James who is the Technical Director at ESET UK emphasised the importance of educating and training for small businesses as they are often overlooked in other security programmes.

James stated, “SMEs form the backbone of the UK economy and without the resources always available to larger enterprises basic cracks in security measures can appear. When breaches in security can cripple a company in terms of both financial and reputational damage, it’s encouraging to see the government taking a lead in helping businesses build up resistance to threats by equipping them with the skills and confidence to adequately educate staff on the ways to spot malware and hacker threats.”

 Is this a sensible investment by the Home Office? Do you believe that this scheme will be effective?