Staying safe while operating online

To keep your business and staff safe online, it’s important to take steps to protect your website and networks.

There is no single way of protecting your website or networks, but common advice includes:

• using strong passwords and user accounts
• using password managers to secure your passwords
• training staff about online threats
• using firewalls and security software
• installing software updates (this can be set to update automatically)
• backing up your systems
• having a business continuity plan that is ideally written down, and tested regularly to deal with major IT or business issues.

Common cyber threats

Cyber criminals seek to exploit human or security vulnerabilities in order to steal passwords, data or money directly. The most common cyber threats include:

• hacking - including of social media and email passwords
• phishing - bogus emails asking for security information and personal details
• malicious software – including ransomware through which criminals hijack files and hold them to ransom
• distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks against websites – often accompanied by extortion

Cyber Essentials Certification

Cyber Essentials can help you guard against common cyber crimes.

Cyber essentials can help you to:

• keep your internet connection secure
• keep your devices and software secure
• control access to your data and services
• protect your devices and data from viruses and other malware
• keep your devices and software up-to-date

You can find more information on Cyber Essentials on the National Cyber Security Centre website.

Resources, advice and guidance

There is lots of advice and support available to help you stay safe online:

• Action Fraud - UK website
• Cyber Aware - the Government’s internet safety resource page
• Safe - the Metropolitan Police advice page
• Get Safe Online
• Training employees in online security - Google Digital Garage
• Business security - BT Skills for Tomorrow

You can find more information on Cyber Essentials on the National Cyber Security Centre website.

There are also several places you can get advice if you are a parent, carer or work in a school:

• BBC Own It - access advice for kids, parents and teachers about how to navigate social media and make sure you are staying safe
• UK Safer Internet Centre
• NSPCC Online Safety
• Thinkuknow - Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre advice page for children and young people

If you are a victim of cyber crime, please report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s fraud and cyber crime reporting centre.