Charity Support: Top 4 Online Security Tips Revealed

• 07-04-2022

According to recent research on GOV.UK, a new report finds that cyber attacks are becoming more frequent with organisations reporting more breaches than ever over the last 12 months.

Data shows 2 in 5 businesses use a managed IT provider but only 13% review the security risks posed by their immediate suppliers.

Businesses and charities are being urged to strengthen their cyber security practices now the new figures show the frequency of cyberattacks is on the rise. Almost 1 in 3 businesses (31%) and a quarter (26%) of charities suffering attacks said they now experience breaches or attacks at least once a week! Unfortunately, there is usually a knock-on effect from cybercrime, with 1 in 5 businesses (20%) and charities (19%) reporting they experienced a negative outcome as a direct consequence of a cyber attack.

The survey findings are alarming and we urge you to take this as a sign to intensify your security systems and processes today. In light of the cyber security news recently, we've compiled a list of our top tips that can be implemented today, for staying secure online.

This may seem like an obvious one but hugely important nonetheless, protect your emails by using strong and separate passwords. Cyber attackers can use your email to access many of your accounts leaving you extremely vulnerable to identity theft.

Implement thorough user training to educate and inform. This includes a detailed understanding of security measures that are necessary to take plus the importance of them for any individual who may not be knowledgeable in this area. This includes password setting, phishing, keeping apps up-to-date and multi-factor authentication.

Install the latest security software and regular updates. Do not leave your app update notifications unattended as these are crucial in helping you protect all of your devices from cybercriminals.

Back up ALL of your data. Safeguarding your important and sensitive information or data is vital when protecting key documents or confidential information. This can be done through an external hard drive or a cloud-based storage system. You won't ever regret this step! 

Cyber Minister Julia Lopez said: "It is vital that every organisation take cyber security seriously as more and more business is done online and we live in a time of increasing cyber risk. No matter how big or small your organisation is, you need to take steps to improve digital resilience now and follow the free government advice to help keep us all safe online."

We highly recommend some other useful resources to help strengthen your security online. Small businesses can adopt the Cyber Essentials scheme to protect against the most common cybercrimes such as phishing, and use the Small Business Guide to improve their cyber security practices and training overall. Larger organisations can use the Board Toolkit to help achieve more company executives and board members to act on cyber resilience. Lastly, charities can follow the Small Charity Guide to boost cyber security operations and training. 

A cyber-attack recognises no physical or geographical boundary, and cybercriminals thrive on the unwillingness of companies to share their experiences. It's absolutely essential for all businesses to build a strong foundation and barrier against cybercrime, even down to the smallest actions that often get overlooked. It is recommended that companies must stress test their whole supply chain don't the smallest partner because any weakness could be exploited.

We hope you've found this article useful and now have a starting point on tackling cyber security within your charity, non-profit organisation or purpose-led business! The Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy is being backed with £2.6 billion of funding to strengthen collaboration and resilience, this element combined with business unity is vital to beat cyberattackers together