New Tool to fight Cybercrime

Metro Bank has teamed up with a new anti-crime initiative to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) protect themselves against cybercrime with free advice, practical help and training.

SMEs are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals with the annual cost of cyber-attacks on the small business community estimated to be £4.5 billion. The Office for National Statistics reports that half of all crime is cybercrime and/or fraud related.  The National Police Chiefs Council is creating ten Cyber Resilience Centres (CRCs) covering England and Wales to support and help protect SMEs – essentially these are regional policing-led cyber security centres created to help small businesses strengthen their cyber resilience. 

Metro Bank is supporting and promoting Cyber Resilience Centres to its business customers to help protect them from fraud and cybercrime.

Metro Bank cyber security expert Mark Hanvey has joined the advisory board of one of the first centres – the SECRC – The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East. 

Businesses that have 1 to 250 employees are reported to have the highest targeted malicious email rate. The SECRC will support businesses in Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and the Thames Valley.

SMEs can initially contact the SECRC through its website to learn more about NCSC approved cyber security advice, guidance, products and services.  Services include security awareness training tailored to the individual company – this training provides simple and effective knowledge for people to understand their environment and provides the confidence to challenge when something doesn’t look right.

Ultimately there will be ten cyber resilience centres across the UK and Metro Bank is already part of the advisory group for the recently launched WCRC - The Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales.