Businesses can pick up tips to fend off cyber criminals at breakfast session

Wearside companies are being invited to a byte to eat as they learn how to reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber crime.
The events will be open to North East businesses to help them protect their firms from cyber crime.The events will be open to North East businesses to help them protect their firms from cyber crime.
The events will be open to North East businesses to help them protect their firms from cyber crime.

Over the coming weeks the North East Regional Serious Organised Unit (NERSOU) in conjunction with Northumbria Police, will host two Cyber Breakfasts.

The events are aimed at making sure local businesses are aware of the risks posed by poor cyber security with experts even showing delegates who easy it can be to hack a system without security measures in place.

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As part of the events Northumbria Police will also talk about a service its cyber volunteers offer, in particular a free vulnerability assessment service they carry out.

The free vulnerability assessment sees the forces’ cyber volunteers go into local businesses and assess their cyber security and identify any potential risks.

"As part of the vulnerability assessment, suggestions around solutions to improve cyber security will also be offered. Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, said: “Online fraud was estimated to have cost £10 million last year, with offenders increasingly targeting businesses.

"The pattern of crime is changing here in the North East and we all need to be vigilant to tackle it.

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"With the expertise of our officers and our newly recruited, experienced cyber volunteers, events like this will help us to protect local organisations in Northumbria from becoming a victim of cyber-crime and educate business owners alike on the risks.”

Head of Northumbria Police’s Cyber Crime unit, Superintendent Mick Barton, said: “We’ve teamed up with our colleagues at NERSOU to offer this opportunity to local businesses to help prevent them from being targeted by cyber criminals.

“All too often we see businesses fall victim to untargeted attacks where the criminals have found a well-known vulnerability which can be easily exploited.

“Criminals are constantly using software to scan the internet looking for easy targets, such as vulnerable and out of date systems, and by offering this service we hope to find some of these vulnerabilities before criminals do so that appropriate action can be taken.

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"We have recently recruited a team of cyber volunteers who have the aptitude skill set and training to be able to deliver a this service and help us to crackdown on cyber crime.

"Our volunteers are experts in this area with many years experience in the field.

“The breakfasts will be hosted by cyber specialists trained who will highlight the potential risks any business could face and will even highlight how easy it can be to hack a vulnerable system.”

The first event will be held at St James’s Park in Newcastle on Wednesday, February 7, with a second event at the Stadium of Light on Friday, March 16.

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To register for either event and more information click here.

Another will also be held by NERSOU in Durham in partnership with Durham Constabulary.

It will take place at The Durham Centre on the Belmont Industrial Estate on Friday, March 23, from 8am to 10am.

Places to that event are also free and on a first-come first-served basis via Eventbrite.