Businesses in Lincolnshire are being urged to do more to protect themselves from the growing threat of cyber crime following the recent attack on TalkTalk.

On Thursday (22nd October) the mobile phone and broadband provider announced it had been subjected to a ‘significant and sustained cyber attack’ in which peoples’ names, addresses and partial bank account details were stolen.

To encourage Lincolnshire businesses to do more to protect themselves Onlincolnshire is organising a Business Security Conference in Grantham on Friday 27th November in partnership with SJG Green Digital and the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub.

As well as raising awareness of this serious problem, the event will equip delegates with the skills needed to guard against this faceless crime.

Following the attack on TalkTalk, UK business leaders are calling for urgent action to tackle cyber-crime which is considered one of the most serious threats to UK businesses.

The latest figures from the Government reveal that 74 per cent of small businesses, and 90 per cent of major businesses, have had a cyber breach of security in the last year.

Stuart Green from SJG Digital explained: “We need to get everyone in the mind set that this is a crime, it needs to be reported and it comes in several shapes and sizes. Often the computer isn’t the source of the compromise – commonly it is the user that’s at fault.

“This conference will equip people with the cyber security skills needed to protect their business now and in the future and we’ll have some examples of just how easily IT systems can be hacked. I can guarantee people will be shocked at how vulnerable they are to attacks.”

As well as hearing from expert speakers, delegates at the conference, which is being held at Wyndham Garden Grantham Hotel from 9am until 5pm, will be able to talk to suppliers who will be exhibiting during the day.

Executive Member for Economic Development at Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr Colin Davie, said: “The Government wants to make the UK the safest place in the world to do business online, which is why we are organising this free event.

“Cyber criminals are exploiting basics weaknesses in company IT systems and businesses must do more to protect themselves. This conference will teach people simple ways of guarding against common internet-based threats like viruses, malware and hacking so we hope it will be well attended.”

The onlincolnshire Business Security Conference is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Although it is free to attend, places are limited so booking is essential. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. For more information or to reserve your place visit eventbrite.co.uk or call 01673 898 001.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

About onlincolnshire
• onlincolnshire is a Lincolnshire County Council-run project which is part-funded by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013.
• In March 2013, the council signed a £48 million contract with BT to provide superfast broadband to at least 88% of county properties by 2016, with the remaining properties having access to at least of 2Mbps broadband. A further investment of £2.8 million was announced in February 2014 which has increased the number of properties to 89%.
• The contract with BT concentrates on an intervention area of over 150,000 premises where existing or planned commercial roll outs would not deliver superfast speeds.
• The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf
• Some internet users in rural Lincolnshire experience speeds of less than 1 Mbps. The UK’s average broadband speed is 12 Mbps, according to Ofcom.

For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Kate Strawson
Shooting Star
kate@weareshootingstar.co.uk
01522 528540
@KateStrawson