UK SMEs “primary targets for hackers” states BT survey

The impact can be severe, costing companies considerable time and money to recover from an attack. On average, micro and small businesses have to pay out £7,960 to cope with the most disruptive breaches when they result in damage. That’s according to the latest Government survey.

The most common attack SMEs face is phishing, with e-mail scams targeting 85% of UK businesses. Damaging ransomware incidents have more than doubled in the last 12 months, rising from affecting less than one in 200 businesses last year to one in every 100 in 2025.

A separate report compiled by BT has revealed large businesses, which are more proactive with their cyber security, are more likely to grow than those who are not. The document highlights that these ‘cyber-agile’ companies have a 20% higher growth rate on average.

Existential threat 

Tris Morgan, managing director for security at BT, commented: “At BT, our mission is to enable UK businesses to grow and prosper. We know the challenges SMEs face when it comes to protecting themselves from growing cyber threats. Those challenges often include budget constraints and the lack of a dedicated cyber team, but for SMEs a cyber attack isn't just an inconvenience. Rather, it poses an existential threat.”

Morgan continued: “The good news is that effective cyber security doesn’t require corporate-grade resources. With the right training, basic security measures and awareness, SMEs can dramatically reduce their risk profile. The key is recognising that, in today's digital landscape, cyber security is not a luxury, but instead a foundation that enables companies to face the future with confidence rather than forever looking over their shoulder.”

In terms of additional research findings, it emerges that 18% of UK SMEs suggest their biggest cyber concern is the threat posed by AI. However, seven in every ten of those business leaders surveyed (69% of them, to be exact) are considering the use of AI tools to protect themselves.

Further, 46% of business leaders turn to industry experts for cyber security advice.

Dedicated security training

BT is currently in the process of bolstering its suite of security products with the launch of dedicated security training designed to help SMEs understand the practical steps they can take to protect themselves against cyber attacks and potential breaches.

The training, unveiled at an event for SMEs featuring cyber security experts from BT, educates small businesses about next generation threats, including the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.

It also highlights the rise of attacks, including account takeovers, whereby stolen customer credentials are used to breach systems, as well as QR code scams (or ‘quishing’), which have surged in number by circa 1,400% in the past five years.

*Further information is available online at www.bt.com