Minsters from the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology and the Department for Business & Trade, alongside the CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), have written to small business owners and entrepreneurs urging them to take action to address growing cyber security threats.

The letter follows the publication by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) of tips for small businesses on how to improve their cyber security and resilience (which we commented upon here).

Like the guidance from the ICO, the letter points to the growing prevalence and sophistication of cyber threats, highlighting that half of small businesses suffered a cyber attack in the past year and 35% of micro businesses were targeted with phishing attacks.

Small businesses are urged to guard themselves against these risks by having effective protections in place.  The letter points to resources that are readily available, including the Cyber Action toolkit from the NCSC and the Cyber Essentials certification scheme which demonstrates that an organisation meets minimum standards for cyber security.

To read the letter in full, click here.