UPDATE: Everything is Corona-Cancelled 

The newly-launched North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC) is helping firms to tackle a highly organised criminal industry that costs UK businesses geet walla piles of dosh per year.

Led by Supt. Rebecca Chapman, NEBRC is funded by a range of private and public partners, a wide range of business investors and members across the North of England, and the police, bringing together all seven of the Yorkshire and North East’s police forces, with some of the top cybercrime officers being seconded for the project. Sheffield Hallam University, Northumbria University and private sector cybercrime experts will also join the party. You can have look at their board members here.

NEBRC has already wooed key business partners such as DLA Piper, HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, CGI, Accenture and Waterstones.

With the launch the centre in a series of events across the North East and Yorkshire, SME business owners and managers will be able to:
• Gain the latest advice and support from leading police and security industry experts.
• Learn quick and easy ways to protect your business online.
• Meet “white hat hackers” who can spot the gaps in online security.
• Get free core membership to NEBRC for future cybercrime prevention.

The free NEBRC seminars will be taking place in March and April:

UPDATE: Due to the Wu-Flu Coof situation, all these dates are likely to change or be cancelled. Please contact NEBRC to verify.

Supt Chapman mused: “NEBRC is a non-profit organisation which exists to support and help protect businesses from cybercrimes. Our unique connection to local universities and the seven regional police forces gives us exclusive access to the latest information on legislation, criminal trends, threats and new technology allowing us to provide the very best advice to safeguard staff, customers and business.

Hackers look like ordinary people using Macbooks in dark rooms.

She added: “We have assembled a team of experts from across crime prevention, research and the private sector to help businesses prepare for and prevent future cyber threats. Cybercrime is a constant game of cat & mouse. The criminals who hide behind and utilise technology to commit fraud, theft and blackmail have no scruples in who they target or when. We have seen many businesses crippled by some form of cyber-attack and there needs to be a pro-active, preventive, approach rather than just a reactive investigation once the damage has been done.”

Cyber Crime Numbers:

  • Cybercrime costs UK businesses around £27bn a year through lost productivity, fraud, phishing emails and blackmail tactics.
  • 1 in 3 UK businesses identified at least one cyber security breach in the last 12 months, with 70+% of them suffering more than one.
  • It is estimated that only 6.2% of attacks were identified and reported to the police in 2018-19.
  • Only 18% of businesses require suppliers to adhere to any cyber security standards. When asked why, the other 82% had either not considered their suppliers as a risk, or they thought it was not their responsibility.
  • Only 7% of business have sought information or guidance from the Government or Public Sector Bodies.

Sources: (Office of National Statistics 2020. Crime Survey of England and Wales 2019) and Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2019

For further information contact: [email protected]


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