L@B Brief - March 2024
INSIDE this ISSUE
Comment - This is no time for complacency on cyber attacks
GAMBICA Conference provides the key to happiness
Consultation launched on UK Carbon Boarder Adjustment Mechanism
Five day window for export licence survey as export laws amended
£6.4m available for you to provide AI training for your staff
Even more training discounts for GAMBICA members
48 engineering biology R&D projects awarded £13.5m
UK signs research collaboration agreements with France and Germany
Research round-up: Specific bacteria linked to colorectal cancer… New way to remove PFAS from water…
Export news: US trade mission and exhibition opportunity… India signs EFTA trade agreement
Compliance with producer responsibilities and other GAMBICA events
Also inside: Lab building projects in the UK and further afield… Changes on pressure vessel regs… Metal working fluid inspections threatened and Industry events.
COMMENT
Hello again,
A recent survey shows that UK SMEs are way too complacent about cybercrime and are woefully unprepared to react to an incident, with only one in five (19%) having a recommended cyber incident response plan (IRP) in place.
AI advances are escalating both the complexity and spread of cyber-attacks, according to the survey authors, Cowbell, a provider of cyber insurance for SMEs whose research reveals that:
- 77% of UK SMEs do not have any in-house security
- 32% of CEOs were confident a cyber-attack would not impact their ability to do business
- 87% did not consider reputational damage as a significant risk to business
The Government’s latest Cybersecurity Breaches Survey, also showed that 59% of medium-sized businesses experienced breaches or attacks in the last 12 months and recent unfortunate experiences among GAMBICA members indicates that quite a few of you have already been hit.
Alongside a trend for underestimating the current cyber climate, the survey also highlighted confusion around first responses in the event of a cyber breach. Nearly one in ten (8%) of CEOs said that they would engage with the threat actor directly in the case of an attack and over half of all respondents (52%) said they would first notify the IT team rather than notifying the regulators or their insurance provider. Cowbell broker specialist Catherine Aleppo commented: “Our research indicates some serious gaps in knowledge, leaving businesses highly exposed.”
Help is available. The Made Smarter network, InterAct, has launched a new tool to help manufacturing businesses to self-assess their cyber-security readiness and identify potential vulnerabilities. You can find out more and access the tool, here. With all sorts of hacking allegations being made about China, it might be best to do it today!
Toodle pip
Jacqueline