Cyber security for business

Effective cyber security solutions that UK businesses can trust - from small businesses to growing SMBs.

Cyber security is one of the biggest challenges currently facing businesses.

And it's not going anywhere. Cyber attacks are rife. With a 1,070% increase in ransomware attacks year on year, keeping your business secure has never been more important.

It's a common misconception that big businesses are the main target for cyber attacks. A recent report has found that small businesses are three times more likely to be targeted by cyber criminals than larger companies.

This alarming trend underscores the need for robust cyber security measures for businesses of all sizes. Cyber criminals often target smaller enterprises due to weaker security protocols. Investing in comprehensive cyber security solutions is essential to safeguard your business's future, protect your data, systems, and reputation, and maintain trust and operational integrity.

The threat landscape

What does a cyber threat look like?

In the digital landscape, businesses face a myriad of cyber threats that can compromise their operations and data integrity. From ransomware and phishing attacks to data breaches and malware, the risks are ever-present and evolving. Understanding these threats is the first step in protecting your business.

Cyber criminals are constantly developing new tactics to exploit vulnerabilities, making it crucial for businesses to stay ahead with proactive measures. By recognising the types of threats you may encounter, you can better appreciate the importance of robust cyber security solutions tailored to your needs.

Our services are designed to address these threats head-on, ensuring your business remains secure and resilient.

Our services

How we can improve your business's cyber security

Backup

Ensuring your data is safe and recoverable is crucial for business continuity. Our backup solutions provide automated, secure, and reliable data storage, protecting your critical information from loss due to threats such as hardware failures, cyber-attacks, or human error. With regular backups, you can quickly restore your data and minimise downtime, keeping your business operations running smoothly.

Site recovery

In the event of a disaster, our site recovery services ensure your business can quickly resume operations. We offer comprehensive disaster recovery planning and implementation, including real-time replication and failover capabilities. Even in the face of unexpected disruptions, your systems and data are protected, and you can maintain business continuity with minimal impact.

Identity & access management

Protecting your business from unauthorised access is essential in today's digital landscape. Our identity and access management solutions provide robust authentication and authorisation mechanisms, ensuring that only authorised users can access your systems and data. Through systems such as multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and role-based access controls, we can help you safeguard sensitive information and reduce the risk of security breaches.

Training

Empower your employees with the knowledge and skills they need to recognise and respond to cyber threats. Our comprehensive training programs cover the latest cybersecurity best practices, including phishing awareness, secure password management, and safe browsing habits. By educating your staff, you create a human firewall that significantly enhances your overall security posture and reduces the likelihood of successful attacks.

Backup and site recovery sit at the heart of any credible cyber security programme. See our dedicated backup and disaster recovery service for how we protect and restore your data when things go wrong.

Small business

Cyber security for small business

Small businesses now sit at the front line. Attackers know that smaller teams often run without a dedicated security lead, so they target them with automated phishing, credential theft and ransomware campaigns. The good news: the same handful of controls that stop the vast majority of attacks are well within reach of a small business - if you know where to focus.

We help small UK businesses put the essentials in place quickly - multi-factor authentication, patched devices, secured Microsoft 365 tenants, offsite backup and staff phishing training - and then build from there as the business grows. No enterprise complexity, no jargon, just business security that actually works.

UK essentials

Cyber security essentials for UK businesses

The UK has some of the clearest guidance available on business cyber security. Understanding what it covers - and where your business currently sits against it - is the fastest route to a stronger security posture.

Cyber Essentials

The UK government-backed certification that covers the five technical controls every business should have in place - firewalls, secure configuration, access control, malware protection and patch management. We help you get certified and stay certified.

NCSC 10 Steps

The National Cyber Security Centre's guidance for organisations that want to go beyond the basics. It covers ten areas - risk management, engagement and training, asset management, architecture and configuration, vulnerability management, identity and access, data security, logging and monitoring, incident management, and supply chain security.

GDPR and data protection

UK GDPR expects appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep personal data safe. Our cyber security controls map directly to those obligations, so you can demonstrate compliance to customers, auditors and the ICO.

For the underlying government guidance, see the National Cyber Security Centre's Small Business Guide and the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

95%

of cyber security breaches are caused by human error

22 billion

records were exposed, due to data breaches, in 2021

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Cyber security FAQs

Common questions we get from UK businesses about cyber security.

Why is cyber security important for business?

Cyber security protects the three things every business runs on - its data, its systems and its reputation. A single incident can mean lost revenue during downtime, regulatory fines under UK GDPR, and customers who no longer trust you with their information. For most UK SMBs, a serious cyber incident is now more likely than a fire or a flood, and often more expensive to recover from.

What is a cyber security accreditation for business?

In the UK, the most widely recognised accreditation is Cyber Essentials - a government-backed certification that covers five technical controls: firewalls, secure configuration, access control, malware protection and patch management. Cyber Essentials Plus adds an independent technical audit. Many public sector contracts and enterprise supply chains now require it, and it also lowers your cyber insurance premiums.

Who is responsible for cyber security in a business?

Cyber security is ultimately the responsibility of business leadership - the board or owner - because it is a business risk, not just an IT issue. Day-to-day operations are usually delegated to an internal IT lead or an outsourced IT partner. Every employee has a role too, which is why staff training on phishing and secure practices is a core part of any credible cyber security service.

How much does cyber security cost for a small business?

The realistic starting point for most UK SMBs is a bundle covering endpoint protection, email security, patching, backup, identity and access controls, and staff training - typically costed per user, per month. We size the service to the risk your business is actually carrying, rather than pushing an off-the-shelf package. Get in touch for a straightforward assessment.

What is the difference between cyber security and IT support?

IT support keeps your systems working; cyber security keeps them safe. In practice the two are inseparable - patching, backup, identity management and monitoring are all things a good IT support provider does that directly improve your security posture. Axon delivers both together, so cyber security is built into the way we run your IT rather than bolted on the side.

How do I improve cyber security for my business?

Start with the basics: enable multi-factor authentication everywhere, keep systems patched, back up your data offsite, restrict admin rights, and train your people on phishing. Then work through Cyber Essentials as a baseline certification. From there, layer in email security, endpoint detection and response, and a documented incident response plan. Axon can help at any stage - from a first audit through to fully managed cyber security.

About Axon IT

IT support that makes sense

Microsoft has recognised us as one of its partner advisors and we often share our views on product development during round-tables with them. With 20+ years under our belt, we usually know what we're talking about!

Based in South of Manchester, our team works remotely - connected, of course, by the latest tech! As a mix of commercially-minded techies, we help advise on the best approach to suit your individual business needs.

Typically, we work with medium-sized businesses - those who want that extra level of support with their technology roadmap to solve business challenges.

From the Axon blog