The PwC 2022 Global Digital Trust Insights study has reported that more than 60 per cent of Irish businesses expect cybercrime to increase this year. One concern is the risk posed through suppliers and technology support networks – with more than half of Irish respondents anticipating an increase in breaches through their software supply chain. 

Another potential weak spot are cloud services, with 62 per cent of Irish respondents expecting attacks on such services to rise.

With responses from over 3,600 participants, the study showed that only 29 per cent of Irish respondents had made “significant progress” in minimising financial losses to cyber disruptions, compared with a global rate of 40 per cent. The more advanced organisation that participated in the study viewed cybersecurity as a means to protect the reputation of the business and build trust with customers as opposed to being purely focused on defence and controls.

This article was originally published in the Irish Times.

Getting Started with your Cybersecurity Strategy

Many small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) face an internal skills gap and limited budget to engage the expertise to define and implement a strategy to address cybercrime.  Cybersecurity Risk Framework: Foundation extends in-house capability with specific knowledge and expertise to enable SMEs to improve their security posture and mitigate much of their potential exposure. 

Valued at €9000, The Enterprise Ireland Digitalisation Voucher can be used by organisations to access the expertise needed to understand the current level of risk and design a Risk and Cybersecurity plan to protect critical assets, information and operations.