Cyber-crime threat is growing

A global cyber-security expert has warned Lancashire Business View that every business in the county is under threat from a hack attack.

Jamie Woodruff’s message to companies in the county is stark: “You will be hacked – the only question is when it will happen”.

The 23-year-old is an expert ethical hacker who works with businesses worldwide highlighting the risks of cyber-crime and identifying the online weaknesses of companies.

He has uncovered security holes in numerous high-profile operations, including global celebrity Kim Kardashian’s website.

And is also ‘Hacker in Residence’ at East Lancashire-based Training 2000’s Cyber Security Centre – providing penetration testing and technical support to businesses, helping them to identify weaknesses within their computer systems and highlighting the techniques utilised by cyber criminals to steal money and company data.

He told Lancashire Business View: “When it comes to being hacked it’s not if you get breached, it’s when. There’s always that weakness and always that way in. It doesn’t matter if you are a large business or an SME, be prepared for that breach to happen in two to five years.”

He says businesses have to be prepared for that attack and minimise the potential damage by having the right systems in place and staff who are thoroughly trained to do the “right things” and spot the threats.

Woodruff said: “Preparing through IT systems and through staff training is the only way you will minimise the potential damage which these types of attacks can cause. You have to invest time and money.”

And he warned too many businesses still don’t give their cyber-security enough priority. “They don’t see the need to invest or put the time and effort in,” he says. “They can’t see the return. The truth is they need to wise up.” For a fuller version of this interview and more details on how to be prepared against cyber-crime attacks see the latest issue of Lancashire Business View

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