Cyber Security Learning Lunch

Members attended a cyber security session delivered by the North East Cyber Resilience Centre, a police-led organisation offering free support to businesses of all sizes and covering the whole of Yorkshire and Humber.

The session highlighted that cyber crime is simply another method criminals use to access businesses—often targeting small and medium-sized organisations because they are perceived as easier to breach.

Key takeaways included:

• Cyber threats are common and growing – around 43% of UK businesses reported a cyber breach in the past year, with the real figure likely higher due to under-reporting.

• Phishing remains the biggest risk, particularly via email, but also through texts, phone calls and QR codes.

• Attacks are often random (“scattergun”), simply exploiting weak security rather than targeting specific businesses.

• Human behaviour is a key vulnerability – scams often create urgency or emotional pressure to encourage mistakes.

• Basic cyber hygiene (passwords, updates, training) can significantly reduce risk.

The Centre offers free membership, training, one-to-one advice and practical tools to help businesses improve their cyber resilience.

Top 5 Tips for Businesses

✅ 1. Be cautious with emails and messages
Always verify unexpected requests—especially urgent ones involving payments or sensitive information. Pick up the phone to confirm if unsure.

✅ 2. Use strong, unique passwords for every account
Avoid reusing passwords. Use a password manager to store and generate secure passwords.

✅ 3. Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Adding a second layer (e.g. a code to your phone) significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access.

✅ 4. Keep systems updated
Regularly update software, devices and apps to fix known vulnerabilities that attackers exploit.

✅ 5. Train staff and create a ‘cyber-aware’ culture
Make cyber security everyone’s responsibility—encourage staff to question suspicious activity and speak up.

You can download the Cyber Resilience Centre’s pdf to find out how to access free support and resources.