Cyber security information and advice for small and medium sized retailers

Guidance for independent retailers on how best to protect your business from cyber threats and cyber attacks.

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What is a cyber threat?

Cash-flow problem, loss of customer loyalty, reputational damage - these are just some of the potential effects of a cyber security breach. Additionally, the UK is one of the world's biggest users of e-commerce.

It’s vital that all independent retailers implement effective cyber security and cyber-enabled fraud prevention, especially when:

Intelligence suggest that fraudsters target smaller retailers who don’t have adequate security measures in place.
Those in the retail industry are leaving their data exposed with 1 in 7 not taking steps to protect their data.
71% of retailers put the most value on their customers, highlighting retailer’s duty to protect customer data.
In 2016 remote purchase fraud increased by 9% to £432.3 million.
95% of businesses consider cyber security to be very or quite important to their business, and yet 45% do not have a formal cyber security strategy.

Will it affect my business?

Cyber crime and fraud are major security priorities for all businesses and independent retailers are no exception.

Whether you simply hold customer data for CRM or are transacting online, you have something of value to cyber criminals.

Since the UK retail industry and its customers are often targeted, cyber security is now a critical part of day-to-day business. There are simple and quick ways for independent retailers to protect themselves and their customers against the threat, helping them to become strong and secure on cyber security.

What can I do to protect my business?

The CRC Cyber Essentials Readiness Tool can help business that are unsure about where to start.

The simple tool is a series of questions that have been developed to lead a business through the main parts of the Cyber Essentials requirements. If there are areas where you'll need to put more controls in place, you will get a link to guidance about how to make those changes. At the end, you will get a list of actions outlining what steps you need to take and links to specific guidance on those actions.

Start the Cyber Essentials Readiness Tool

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Working with the Cyber Resilience Centres (CRC)

Bira have partnered up with the Cyber Resilience Centres and their network of centres across England and Wales, established to strengthen the cyber resilience and cyber security of small/medium enterprises throughout England & Wales.

They povide expert advice to keep businesess running and customer data secure when suffereing from a breach.

What the Cyber Resilience Centres offer

A free 30 minute review with the centre’s Head of Cyber and Innovation on your current cyber set up.
Access to free resources, tools and guidance designed to help your business start its cyber security journey including resources from the National Cyber Security Centre.
A Board Toolkit - Resources designed to encourage essential cyber security discussions between the Board and their technical experts.
A bi-weekly update containing short tips and tricks.
10 Steps to Cyber Security - The steps enable businesses to break down the task of protecting their cyber security, by looking at 10 key components.
Exercise in a Box, a suite of exercises based around real world scenarios designed to allow businesses to test their response and approach to each given scenario
Invites to all WMCRC webinars, roadshows, and conferences
A monthly newsletter full of tips, tricks, and resources to help you tackle current cyber threats and trends.