Cyber security is a serious issue for UK businesses, with over 40% of companies experiencing a cyber breach each year. For companies such as travel companies that process personal data, the figure is closer to 50%. The average cost of cyber breaches is significant, with large businesses experiencing average losses of £22,300 for each damaging incident.

Despite these figures, only half of UK businesses implement the basic technical controls listed under the UK Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme. Even fewer businesses have encryption policies in place to routinely protect personal data; the type of data that travel agents depend upon to run their businesses. 

The NCSC wants to make it easy for travel companies to understand how to protect their information and IT against common cyber-attacks, in the same way that everyone understands how to protect their businesses from other types of crime.

That’s why the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and ABTA have joined forces to make the NCSC’s advice available via the ABTA Member Zone. The guidance note starts with the Small Business Guide and scales to cover the requirements of all organisations, no matter their size or technical capability.  

The NCSC will also be on hand to provide an update and first-hand guidance at ABTA’s new Cyber and Data Breach Management seminar in London on 5 March. The seminar will equip you with the tools you need to plan for, respond to, and recover from a cyber or data breach. Put your questions to the NCSC as well as legal, industry, cyber, insurance, communication and ABTA experts. To find out more and register your place click here.