Brexit could help UK Cyber Security
Contrary to recent emerging news headlines, Brexit could actually be a good thing for increasing cyber security. It could be the very event that drives UK business to take the importance of data seriously and increase awareness of the consequences if they do not. Cyber threats continue to increase every year, and it can affect all businesses, no matter what their size or industry.
The vote to leave the EU has so far caused a great deal of damage, particularly to UK businesses and the economy. It has cost the average worker more than a week’s wages due to the fall in the value of the pound. UK businesses are also struggling to recruit talent from the rest of Europe – CIPD’s Labour Market Outlook has shown a staggering 95 per cent drop in EU nationals joining the workforce between 2016 and 2018.
Although there are numerous causes of cyber security breaches, in the case of Brexit, there a few circumstances which stand out. A trusted but displeased employee or contractor who is upset about the Brexit vote may deliberately compromise company trading to prove a point. Another factor is, of course, that unhappy employees can result in people being lax with data security processes. Research shows that almost 34% of IT bosses in the UK recognise that stressed or overworked staff can mistake a mistake with data. A further 40% believe employee dissatisfaction could contribute to an insider cyber threat.
Brexit uncertainty can have a positive impact
Faced with uncertainty within UK politics and the economy, hackers could see Brexit as an opportunity for a big win. Therefore, at this time perhaps more than any other, UK organisations cannot afford to make any mistakes when it comes to cyber security.
Brexit is a prime opportunity for companies to re-evaluate their data processes from the inside out, to ensure they are doing all they can to improve employee happiness and make their wider company safer. In doing so, the UK can become leaders by raising the standard of security in Europe and beyond. A simple and easy way to do this is to become Cyber Essentials accredited.
Show your commitment to Cyber Security
A government-backed scheme for all business across all industries, Cyber Essentials helps you to guard against 80% of the most common cyber-attacks. It also demonstrates your awareness of the importance of cyber security, which is vital.