British small businesses are leaving themselves exposed to computer viruses and hackers, risking massive disruption to their daily operations, according to a new survey by leading business cash flow specialist Bibby Financial Services.
The research findings suggest that Britainís small business community has in recent years become almost universally IT literate with 84% of business owners and managers now using computers to carry out their daily work. A further 78% now have Internet access, 52% have set up a company website to promote their business and a nearly a third (30%) of businesses trade online.
Despite the fact that small business owners and managers seem to be embracing the technology revolution, 12% of respondents still have no anti-virus software in place to protect their businesses valuable files and data despite the fact that 43% of the countryís small firms have been affected by a computer virus at some time.
Cyber crime costs Europeís small businesses some 22bn Euros (14.7bn) to clean up and recover, while virus outbreaks alone cost an average of 5,000 euros per firm to resolve.*
David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, said: ìIt is disappointing that while small firms are willing to invest in new technology a significant minority are still unaware of how vulnerable access to the internet can leave them.
ìThis year has seen more viruses than ever before and they are becoming increasingly severe. Technology is developing rapidly and the techniques used to infiltrate malicious software onto machines is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Purchasing the latest state-of-the-art laptop or connecting to broadband is not enough, business owners and managers need to put IT security at the top of their business agenda.î
Small firms fail to recognise the dangers of cyber crime
British small businesses are leaving themselves exposed to computer viruses and hackers
