Cyber Surgery: How Can You Protect Your Business from Online Threats?

The Guardian

Is your business at risk from cybercrime? The short answer is yes – as many large firms can attest, online threats come thick and fast, and big breaches can floor corporate behemoths with apparent ease.

Taking steps to reduce the risk of an online attack is clearly important but it can appear daunting to SMEs. You may have installed anti-virus software but do you regularly update your programmes? Have your staff been trained in online security, such as the importance of picking a strong password? For small businesses, cyber security may come towards the end of a long list of priorities, but a breach will put everything else on the back burner.

How much does a small firm need to spend on making sure it remains safe, and how do you find a qualified security professional? We’ve invited a panel of experts to take part in this live online discussion, and they will offer practical advice on these questions and more. They will be on hand to answer your queries on anything to do with online threats, from phishing and staff training to setting up a safe payments portal.

To take part, post your questions in the comments section below, tweet us at@GdnSmallBiz, email us at smallbusinessnetwork@theguardian.com or join us online between 1pm and 2pm on March 26 to chat directly with our panel.

Panel

Dr Stephen Moody is the solutions director for EMEA at ThreatMatrix and has over 10 years’ experience in the counter fraud space. He has developed advanced analytics systems to counter fraud across financial services and government organisations

Emma Philpott is the CEO of the IASMEConsortium Ltd, which certifies companies against the government’s Cyber Essentials scheme and an IASME governance standard developed to be achievable and affordable for SMEs

Stuart Fuller is director of commercial operations and communications at NetNames and specialises on issues affecting brands online. He focuses on the rise of online threats and domain name management, particularly within the retail, financial services and IT sectors

Del Heppenstall leads KPMG’s cyber security teams across the southern and midlands regions. With nearly 20 years’ experience in information protection and cyber security, his expertise ranges from security strategy through to technical security implementation

Richard Bach is the assistant director, Cyber Security & Resilience, at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. He is the BIS policy lead for Cyber Essentials, the joint Government and industry scheme which helps to protect businesses from common online cyber threats

Stephen Hind is provides cloud solutions consultation and implementation forDrPete, and has more than 15 years’ experience in the IT industry. He is a Google Top Contributor, a Google Apps Certified Administrator, and Microsoft-certified for administering Office 365 for small business