Half of all the 150 free cyber security training spots for small businesses in Cheshire have
now been taken up already, after being launched in February this year.
The initiative, which has been fully funded by Cheshire Police and the Cheshire Police &
Crime Commissioner, is run by the North West Cyber Resilience Centre (NWCRC) with 150
free training and membership places initially available, worth £500 each.
Figures from Action Fraud found that in the last year there have been reported losses of
£28.9 million and 6,423 reports of fraud or cyber crime across the county of Cheshire.
On top of this, new statistics from the Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 found that a half of all businesses and a third of charities had experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the last year.
The free Cheshire Cyber Security Programme includes a one-to-one session for each business to help them understand how to stay secure against cyber criminals and fraudsters.
It also includes a free membership to the NWCRC, so that businesses can stay up to date
with the fast-changing world of cyber crime.
DI Dan Giannasi, head of cyber and innovation at the NWCRC, (pictured) said: “In a world where cyber threats are ever-present, being proactive about cybersecurity is incredibly important. A cyber attack can be incredibly stressful for a small business and hugely damaging both financially and for their professional reputation.
“Cyber fraudsters are getting incredibly sophisticated, and phishing emails, for example, can be really difficult to spot. Our training covers how to spot a potential phishing attack, as well as what you need to do if you are a victim of a cyber attack.”
One of the primary reasons for a business to take part in cybersecurity training is to protect
their business assets against fraudsters. This includes sensitive customer information, financial records, business data, as well as social media and other business accounts.
Cybersecurity training empowers a business with the knowledge to identify potential threats, such as phishing scams and malware, and take proactive steps to mitigate risks – as well as knowing what to do in the event of a cyber breach.
The training is being run by the NWCRC, which is a police-backed not-for-profit organisation. The NWCRC works closely with businesses right across the North West to ensure they understand how to protect themselves against cyber crime.
George Mounsey, director at Jennings Seats in Crewe, has taken up the training offer and
said: “After joining the NWCRC through their funded membership scheme, their client
relations manager Niomie reached out. She quickly understood my business requirements
and suggested a First Stage Web Assessment would be of great value.
“Once completed, the technical team provided me with a detailed report of the findings which highlighted some important findings which I was unaware of and they explained how these can be used to harm my website. I was able to hand the report over to my IT Team and they implemented all of the Cyber Resilience Centre’s recommended solutions with ease.
“Once done, I scheduled a re-test of my website so they could investigate to see if all the
necessary protections had been implemented. I’m grateful to Niomie and her colleagues for
their support and guidance throughout, and I’m now a lot more conscious of cyber security
as a whole.”
To sign up to the free fully-funded training and membership, visit:
https://www.nwcrc.co.uk/cheshire
