Highlands and Islands Enterprise is offering its clients across the region support to protect themselves from cyber attacks
A new scheme has been launched to help protect charities in the Highlands from cyber attacks.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise is offering its clients across the region support to protect themselves from cyber attacks, by launching the Cyber Strong business project.
Coinciding with Digital Leaders Cyber Resilience Week (11-15 September), the agency is launching a programme to help local businesses and social enterprises achieve national Cyber Essentials accreditation.
The workshops – which take place on various dates until mid-November at venues across the region – follow Highland Hospice being amongst the organisations hit by a £2.5 million digital scam earlier this summer.
The industry and government recognised certification scheme helps businesses minimise the risk of a cyber attack, and demonstrates that they are taking the measures needed to protect themselves and their client data.
The HIE project will provide clients with a one day intensive workshop, 1-2-1 support from a digital adviser to develop a Cyber Resilience plan and the agency will reimburse successful businesses achieving the accreditation.
Stuart Robertson, head of digital at HIE said: “All businesses are a potential target for an attack, particularly if they don’t take basic precautionary measures to protect themselves.
“Cyber criminals constantly scan websites, systems and devices to look for vulnerabilities, and any business that relies on computerised systems for payroll, marketing via social media or a website, or who have booking systems with databases of customer details can have information valuable to a criminal.”
