CYBER RESILIENCE HOW TO PROTECT SMALL FIRMS IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

fsb.org.uk
FOREWORD
Over the last couple of decades the economy has shifted towards one that relies on a complex digital
communications infrastructure. This offers tremendous opportunities for smaller businesses. The
digital economy information age began with personal computing, mobile telephony, the internet and
email. It’s now moved even further with cloud computing, smart devices – such as tablets and smart
phones – and social media. These innovations have helped businesses to reduce costs, increase
their efficiency and widen their market reach. The nascent internet of things is going to generate
even further opportunities.
However, these benefits have brought with them a wide range of risks for smaller businesses. But
not only small businesses. There are equally significant risks for the whole digital communications
infrastructure. In a highly interconnected economy a risk for one is a risk for all. The biggest risk
comes from the threat of cyber criminality. The latter is a rapidly evolving threat and is in danger of
becoming ubiquitous in the digital world.
Recent research by FSB – highlighted in this report – found disturbingly high levels of cyber crime
against smaller businesses. Action is needed to improve the cyber resilience of small businesses and
the wider economy through:
• Improving the protection levels of the small business community, commercial supply-chains and
the digital information networks on which the economy relies.
• Better enabling those impacted by a cyber attack to withstand its effects and prosper again
afterwards.
• Improving the law enforcement response to cyber criminality in the longer term.
Successive Governments, from a standing start less than a decade ago have made considerable
progress in increasing the cyber resilience of the UK. However, there is more that can and should be
done. The key change that needs to take place is a greater sharing of the burden of cyber resilience
across business (large – especially those providing the technological and economic infrastructure
– and small), Government and individuals. Currently, the burden is not borne by those best able to
bear it. Those with the most resources (financial, labour and time) and knowledge at their disposal,
are best placed to take the most effective action to reduce the cyber risks, which small businesses
and the economy face.
This report looks at the scale and scope of cyber crime against small business and how the burden
of resilience might be more effectively shared among those with an interest in a successful economy.
Martin McTague
Policy Director
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