You wouldn’t leave your house unlocked overnight, so why leave your digital doors unprotected? Cyber security is about safeguarding your organisation from invisible threats that are constantly looking for weaknesses.

Why cyber security is no longer optional

Cyber security is often described as a technical discipline, but it is simply about protection. If you remove the word cyber, what you are left with is security, and therefore protecting what matters. In the physical world, you lock the doors of your home, install alarms and keep valuables in safes. You would notice if someone was peering through your windows or trying the handle on your front door.

Now imagine your organisation is that house, but the people looking for weaknesses are invisible, constantly scanning for unlocked doors, open windows and poorly fitted locks. That is the reality of the digital world today, and with the advancements in AI, the number of invisible threats is increasing.

What is cyber security?

Cyber security refers to the measures, tools and practices used to protect computers, networks, systems and data from unauthorised access, damage or theft. For organisations, this includes everything from email systems and financial records to customer data and intellectual property.

Importantly, prevention is the first line of defence. Just as you would put doors and locks on your home, organisations must put measures in place to stop attackers gaining entry in the first place. This includes strong password policies, multi-factor authentication, access restrictions and regular software updates.

However, security is not only about keeping attackers out. It is also about detecting suspicious activity quickly and responding effectively if something does go wrong.

What threats are organisations facing?

The threat landscape has evolved significantly in recent years. Cyber criminals are more organised, better funded and increasingly sophisticated.

One of the most common threats is phishing, fraudulent emails designed to trick employees into revealing passwords or clicking malicious links. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2023 found that 59% of businesses and 64% of charities reported experiencing phishing as a disruptive attack.

Malware, including keyloggers and malicious browser extensions, can secretly collect data or monitor activity. Ransomware is particularly damaging. It encrypts a company’s data, making it inaccessible until a ransom is paid, and there is no guarantee that paying will restore access.

There are also insider threats, social engineering scams and so-called zero-day attacks that exploit previously unknown software vulnerabilities. Increasingly, AI is being used by attackers to create more convincing scams.

Why is cyber security so important?

For many organisations, data is one of their most valuable assets. Losing access to it, even for a single day, can have serious financial and reputational consequences. Downtime can halt operations, disrupt customer service and result in lost revenue.

There are also legal and regulatory implications. Under the UK General Date Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protections Act (DPA), organisations can face significant fines for failing to protect personal data. Schools, councils and SMEs have all been penalised in recent years following data breaches.

Yet technology alone is not the weakest point, people are. Human error, complacency or lack of awareness is often exploited by attackers. That is why training and education are as important as software tools.

Getting started

For organisations beginning their cyber security journey, the fundamentals are clear: understand your risks, implement layered protection, train your staff and make sure you have a robust backup and disaster recovery plan in place. A zero trust mindset, where access is granted only when necessary and verified, is increasingly considered best practice.

Cyber security is not about scaremongering. It is about recognising that threats exist and taking sensible, proportionate steps to protect your organisation, your people and your customers.

At Ask4Support, we help organisations put these protections in place, from preventative measures and staff training to monitoring and incident response, so you can focus on running your organisation with the peace of mind that cyber threats are being kept at bay.