According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report for 2021 the UK was classed as the second highest victim of cybercrime after the US! Within the ‘Top 20 International Victim Countries’ the US had 466,501 victims, while the UK had 303,949. Notable was that the total of victims from the other countries was just 25,002. 

What we can take from these shocking statistics 

  1. As we’re all aware, cybercrime is increasing at phenomenal rates. When we started writing about the threats posed, the threat was very real, but certainly not as widespread as it is today. It’s now recognised that cyber security needs to be accompanied by cyber resilience. In other words, we need to put layers of prevention measures in place but also need to have a plan in place for tackling a cyberattack. Simply having phenomenal cyber security in place is not enough. 
  1. Knowing about the threats of cybercrime is no longer simply the domain of the tech-savvy, as it is so prevalent. Most people will know at least one person or business that has been the victim of an attack. 
  1. For each of the 303,949 victims in the UK there will be an accompanying price tag – often a hefty one. And along with the price tag are additional consequences. For businesses there may be long term reputational damage, loss of customers, heavy stresses on the business to overcome the impact of the attack, plus they may face a visit from the ICO for data breaches. For domestic victims there is emotional distress for the victim and their family which can have lasting implications on mental health. 
  1. The stats are bad, and we can’t ignore them, but we shouldn’t read too much into the fact that we are apparently second worst in the world. We could rather view this more positively by acknowledging that we have good mechanisms for reporting, recording and working against cyberattacks. As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, part of a thorough cyber security plan is having a swift and direct reporting mechanism in place for a business. It appears that we are one of the best countries for having a reporting mechanism in place, even if the resulting statistics are highly concerning and eye-wateringly high. 

What should we do? 

We all need to accept that cybercrime is a huge threat to both our domestic and business lives. Taking proactive measures in our homes and workplaces will help us remain as safe as possible.  

Educate yourself and your family members. We talk a lot about educating our teams, but take some time to help your family and friends understand what they can do to help themselves. Statistics show that the elderly are the most vulnerable to cybercrime, so make sure they are as protected and educated as possible. 

In the work environment ensure that cyber security is part of regular board meetings and staff training. Threats are constantly evolving and growing stronger, as reflected in the FBI figures, so give Cyber Security the attention it needs to help retain business stability. 

Need help? 

Please do ask us. Not only can we put measures in place to help you remain secure but we can advise you on staff training, processes and procedures.