We were approached by Bristol Business Post Media to give our view on the recent security breaches, data protection and IT security.
We also gave our own take on GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The legislation will cover threats to IT systems – including power failures, hardware failures and environmental hazards.
We explained how GDPR will affect businesses in the UK. Including the fine of up to £17 million, or 4% of their global turnover, for failure to protect themselves from hackers.
Chris Connor, MD at Glo Networks, explains the implications of the new legislation in the article:
‘’The figures being mentioned sound worrying – but the truth is any company with the right policies and procedures in place would be covered.’’
‘’The risk is highest when you are self-managing your IT systems or using a smaller firm for the purpose that isn’t geared up for the new landscape. We always set up clients in a way that is compliant with the new legislation and using the latest security systems.’’
Read our comprehensive guide to GDPR to find out more about the regulation, and how you can prepare.
To read the full article, see below:
Companies in the UK could soon face fines of up to £17million – or 4% of their global turnover – if they fail to protect themselves from hackers. That’s according to the UK government, who say that the measures are being brought in to help make the Internet a safer place.
The BBC reported Digital Minister Matt Hancock as saying the goal was to make the UK “the safest place in the world to live and be online”, as Government launches a consultation into the plans. The fines could be issued for not having effective plans in place around cyber security. The move, reported City A.M., comes as the Government announced that it plans to invest £1.9billion in cyber security.
The legislation will also cover other threats to IT systems - including power failures, hardware failures and environmental hazards.
The policy is separate from the GDPR, security legislation that relates specifically to customer data.
Chris Connor, MD at Glo, an IT company covering Bristol and the south-west, which has taken care of the IT solutions of several hundred businesses in its 10 years in business, says companies shouldn’t be too concerned – provided they put the right measures in place.
“There is certainly change and tightening of legislation – as seen from this new policy and GDPR. But it’s necessary change, and a positive development in the context of the security of the UK’s economy as a whole.
“The figures being mentioned sound worrying – but the truth is any company with the right policies and procedures in place would be covered,” Chris points out.
“The risk is highest when you are self-managing your IT systems or using a smaller firm for the purpose that isn’t geared up for the new landscape. We always set up our clients in a way that is compliant with the new legislation and using the latest security systems.
“Also, we encourage our clients to think of planning for continuity of IT services, data handling and disaster recovery as a type of insurance – they may never need it, but if something unforeseen does happen, and they need this kind of help, they’ll be glad they have it.”
Glo is offering a FREE review of IT systems for companies, as part of a drive to help ensure compliance with the new legislation.
The legislation follows several high-profile cyber security breaches, such as the Wannacry cyber virus, which famously brought down NHS services in 2017. It was described as the “biggest ransomware breach in history” by Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at the Helsinki-based cybersecurity company F- Secure, who was quoted in the Telegraph. The scale of the event is something the government is looking to avoid in the future. As well as facing fines, companies are encouraged to improve security planning and cyber security to protect themselves and their data.
Chris Connor added: “Small and medium-sized businesses often think that cyber security and compliance is something that is for bigger companies. But it is important to have the right set-up in place, it’s not difficult. It comes down to choosing the right provider, and safeguards your business from online threats – giving you peace of mind.”