Two thirds of the UK’s biggest companies fell victim to cyber-attacks over the past year
Two thirds of the largest companies in the UK have experienced some form of cyber-attack over the past year, according to a government commissioned survey.
The document outlines the full scale of the problem affecting the country for the first time and is being used as a wake-up call for companies to up their game in combatting the threat posed by viruses, spyware and other forms of malware.
Whilst the survey showed that seven in ten attacks had been prevented it also found that a fifth of respondents were oblivious to the risks of sharing data with third parties whilst quarter of big businesses were subjected to near continuous assaults, weathering attacks on a monthly basis or more.
Commenting on the results digital economy minister Ed Vaizey said: “Too many firms are losing money, data and consumer confidence with the vast number of cyber-attacks. It's absolutely crucial businesses are secure and can protect data.”
In an effort to combat the problem the government has allocated £1.9bn over the next five years to combating the problem and has established a National Cyber Security Centre to coordinate support ahead of publishing its strategy later this year.