BSE Cybersecurity Guide
The Hellenic Federation of Enterprises published a Cybersecurity Guide to inform, raise awareness and protect Greek businesses from risks in the digital environment. The Guide includes ten practical steps businesses can take to navigate safely in the digital age and make them more resilient to potential risks. This initiative is linked to the European Union’s efforts to promote cyber resilience, fight cybercrime and strengthen cyber diplomacy and defence. It is underlined that the EU’s vision is to strengthen Europe’s resilience to cyber threats by seeking to secure all citizens and businesses with trustworthy digital services and tools.
Why is the Guide necessary?
Cybersecurity generally encompasses the activities necessary to protect network and information systems, the users of such systems and the data stored or processed therein. The rapid development of IT technologies and evolution of the internet makes it all the more necessary to defend businesses against cyber threats and risks. These are based on basic principles including the principle of legality, transparency, equality and effectiveness. Data collected by the BSE identified the following challenges:
- 43 % of medium-sized and small enterprises experiencing data loss do not resume operations,
- Businesses take 23 days per month to return to operation after a government attack
- The recovery costs following a cybersecurity incident are 57 % likely to lead to an increase in the price of the company’s products and services, affecting its competitiveness,
- Between 85 % -90 % of successful cyberattacks are based on human error, while the same attack can lead to double or triple blackmail.
In response to the above challenges, the Guide offers advice on systematic digital risk management, with benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises such as: reducing financial costs due to data loss, theft or leaking; ensuring business continuity in the event of a cyber-attack; protecting assets, reputation and network of collaborators; gaining competitive advantage; improving compliance with applicable regulatory frameworks; and fostering a cybersecurity culture.
10 practical Cybersecurity steps
The Guide is structured into 10 steps to be taken by businesses to address the different aspects of Cybersecurity:
- Risk assessment;
- Drawing up a roadmap;
- Setting up a governance mechanism,
- Equipment, data and systems proofing;
- Training and awareness raising of staff;
- Including cybersecurity in the business continuity plan;
- Activate an incident response plan;
- Adoption of standards and certifications;
- Cyber risk insurance; and
- Ensuring the digital security of customers and suppliers.
Digital skills resource details
Guide