Cybercrime delivers a very real threat to you, as an individual, your household and to your organisation. It is the most-costly crime of all time - in some cases, losses suffered have led to business closures.

The international adoption of extensive remote (home) working together with dissipated IT systems have triggered a substantial rise in cybercrime costs - expected to top one trillion dollars for the very first time this year.  Research indicates the cost of cybercrime will increase by 50% and will soon account for more than 1% of global GDP.

A surge is occurring in both the number and types of attacks, ranging from phishing and denial of service attacks to 'ransomware', 'spyware' and theft. Weakened security due to home or remote working is a contributing factor In the UK, businesses have experienced an increase of 31% of cybercrime attacks during the height of the pandemic. Up to 88% of UK companies have suffered breaches in the last 12 months. One business in the UK, is successfully hijacked every 19 seconds (Hiscox, 2021). Around 65,000 attempts to hack small' to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) occur in the UK every day, around 4,500 of which are successful. That equates to around 1.6 million in the UK per year. From empirical research, it is estimated that 53% of SMBs suffered a security breach last year. 

The exponential growth, and continued expansion, in cybercrime was predictable. Critically it allows the perpetrators to anonymous. Failure in a cyber attack carries no risks and the rewards fund criminals to embrace new attack technologies - constantly testing and identifying weaknesses in cybersecurity. Online crime has becoming easier and cybercriminals are becoming more financially sophisticated, making it easier to monetize their exploits (Lewis, 2020).

Over 80% of the loss suffered through cybercrime could be stopped by implementing simple security measures within the workplace. Greater awareness and vigilance is an essential step to reduce criminal risk and loss. This course gets you to look at the risks posed to your workplace and provides a clear explanation of how the majority of cybercrime is committed. We explore the the weaknesses in systems, processes, IT architecture, hardware and practices - all of which are exploited by the cyber criminal. By the end of the course, all delegates will be able to reduce cyber hazards and reduce loss through cybercrime. Through greater awareness and understanding delegates will become security contributors and improve safety in the technology they use.

Aim

To reduce the risks associated with cybercrimes through the increased awareness and understanding of the range and methods of cybercrime.

Learning Objectives

On the successful completion of the course the delegate should be able to:

• Describe, define and explain the term 'cybercrime'
• Engage in comprehensive technological security through the reduction of human factors
• Identify and mitigate the associated risks related to cybercrime and data loss.
• Acknowledge the critical role of supervisors and managers in reducing cybercrime risk
• Employ regulatory safeguards against current and strategic cybercrime threats
• Describe the current state of cybercrime risk; threats, methods and costs
• Describe effective, reasonable and proportionate activities to reduce the risk of loss through cybercrime
• Employ effective processes and practices for data storage and security to prevent cybercriminal attacks
• Appreciate the potential contribution of 'staff naivety' and 'passive complicity' to effective cybercrime.

Day 1

Introduction, terms and definitions

Identifying significant vulnerabilities and risks (and costs to the organisation)

Safety first - Health & Safety for IT

Risk reduction and management: technological and human factors - 'the 'Magic 4'!

The 'security audit' - 'closing the gaps' and strengthening defences

Effective supervision and management to reduce the potential threat and loss through cyber-criminality

Day 2

Regulatory and recommended safeguards and controls

Actual and emerging threats and counters

Case study - zero tolerance to cybercrime

Exercise: critical 'safety' practices, processes and protocols

Implementing 'cyber safety' within the workplace

Engaging staff contribution to cybercrime vulnerability and IT safety