Company owners need to be extra vigilant as the true extent of cybercrime in 2020 emerges.

A police-led initiative has been launched to help businesses in Swindon and Wiltshire protect themselves against cybercrime.

The new South West Cyber Resilience Centre is part of a network of centres being established across England and Wales to provide businesses with a free level of support, and an affordable way to access more bespoke cyber security services and consultancy.

The challenges faced by businesses around data security and how their users are accessing, handling, or disposing of sensitive data outside of the office will be addressed in a webinar next week.

Although workforces are starting to return to the office, many plan to mix office time with work from home for the foreseeable future.

Marlborough-based cyber security specialist Foregenix has signed a strategic partnership with e-commerce hosting firm Sonassi – part of the iomart group – to provide more protection to firms planning to upgrade their website platforms to Magento 2.

The partnership will give Sonassi’s clients access to Foregenix’ FGX-Web security solution, which monitors for threats and suspicious behaviour and alerts users to attacks and possible breaches as they migrate. Higher FGX-Web plans are also available which include protection from online threats.

Our lives have all been changed over these last months, and through no choice of their own, companies all around the world have also had to make changes to the way they work. Now their team members are working from home too.

This is completely new territory for many company directors or owners and creates issues, particularly around safety and security. Getting this right is important for any business, but particularly if you are running a business where you think ‘working from home’ may become part of your model as we come out of lockdown.

Wiltshire Police have reminded firms whose staff are relocating from business premises to homes to take extra security steps against cybercriminals.

“Due to the advancement of the coronavirus and subsequent advice from the Government, employees are increasingly encouraged to work from home or remotely, where possible,” says the force’s cybercrime unit.