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Over the last decade or so, the internet has taken the world by storm.\u00a0 We use it more and more every day, it\u2019s constantly in the palms of our hands and most of us even rely on it for day to day life and business.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately though, the internet and the world of computers aren\u2019t always as safe and secure as we\u2019d like them to be, and your personal, private and confidential information could be at risk of some kind of security breach.\u00a0 Whether you run your own business, a charity, a cyber caf\u00e9 or an IT suite or even take care of administration for a Church or other place of worship, cyber risks and attacks are something you should know about.<\/p>\n
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What are cyber risks?<\/strong><\/p>\n A cyber risk is any potential risk of loss to yourself or your organisation or business.\u00a0 This could be a financial loss, disruption, or any damage to equipment or your reputation because of some kind of problem or failure with your computers and IT system.<\/p>\n If you hold personal information, such as clients or members email addresses or phone numbers on a computer, a breach in your security could mean that you lose this information and that outsiders might be able to access it.\u00a0 Those contact details might then be susceptible to spam mail which could even lead to a virus being transferred to the recipient\u2019s computer.\u00a0 A cyber breach or attack, could equally be something as simple as a hacker gaining access to your online bank account.<\/p>\n Having your computer hardware stolen, damaged or a software crash are all cyber risks too.\u00a0 Having your computer stolen would not only mean the loss of the physical hardware but also any data that was stored on there.\u00a0 For a business this would of course be hugely inconvenient and could halt work for an unforeseeable amount of time, and for situations such as computer cafes and IT suites, a lack of service is a lack of income.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How can I protect myself and my organisation against these types of cyber risks?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Unfortunately, it isn\u2019t always possible to entirely prevent a breach.\u00a0 Cyber attackers are extremely clever and if they want to hack into your computer system to get hold of your protected data, then they will find a way.\u00a0 One of the only things you can do is to prepare yourself and your business in case this does happen.\u00a0 We think this insurer, Hiscox gives some brilliant advice on how to make sure you\u2019re prepared.\u00a0 Click here to see Hiscox\u2019s advice.<\/a><\/p>\n Recovering any lost data can often be easier said than done. While you won\u2019t be able to take intercepted data back from a hacker, you can make sure you do regular backups of your data, so that you always have a spare copy.\u00a0 Any data should be kept securely and in line with the Data Protection Act (DPA).\u00a0 You can read more about the DPA on the Safer Places of Worship website, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n For any kind of damage to your computer (or computers in the case of a cyber caf\u00e9 or IT suite), theft or a software crash, and for any loss of data by these means or by human error or fraudulent activity, you should always make sure that you are sufficiently insured and that your policy definitely does cover your cyber risks.\u00a0 Some policies specifically exclude cyber risks and you may need an extended or additional policy to cover all cyber risks.\u00a0 If you are unsure about your cover, please don\u2019t hesitate to give us a call on 01564 730 900, and your account handler will be able to look into this for you.<\/p>\n