Free cyber crime tool on offer for businesses in South Yorkshire

Funded by the government, the Police CyberAlarm is said to act as like CCTV camera, monitoring the traffic seen by a businesses’ connection to the internet.

The system aims to detect and provide regular reports of suspected malicious activity, enabling a business to take steps to improve their cyber resilience - and was designed to protect personal data, trade secrets and intellectual property, a police spokeswoman said. 

Police CyberAlarm can benefit any business with a computer network including SMEs, organisations, public and private sector, charities, education establishments and local government.

Det Supt David Norris of the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “The threat of cyber-attacks against businesses are increasing. We need to work together with industry to combat this threat.

"Police CyberAlarm is a great example of what can be achieved when policing and private industry work together.

“We know that the average cost of a cyber attack to a small business is around £11,000 and we know that there are thousands of successful attacks nationwide every day."

Det Supt Norris added that cyber security should be a priority for every single business no matter how big or small that business is.

He said: "This is a police led project which businesses can trust. There is no catch to signing up, it is being offered for free and we want to get as many businesses across the Yorkshire and the Humber Region to join.

“The more members we have, the more data we get which will provide law enforcement with a much richer intelligence picture about the current and emerging threats businesses are facing.

"The data will also be presented back to members in the form of regular reports to help them take steps to improve their cyber security. I would urge businesses to sign up and take advantage of all Police CyberAlarm has to offer.”

Visit cyberalarm.police.uk/#join for further information or to sign up.