Cyber crime in Wales is a serious and growing issue, impacting both individuals and businesses.
Crime data from Action Fraud, (compiled by IT Support and Solutions, Acora One) has highlighted the worrying impact cyber-crime is now having on the Welsh economy.
6,000 reports of cyber-enabled crime in Wales were made between June 2022 – May 2023. This resulted in £24.6M of reported financial losses with £3.2k being the average reported financial loss per report of cyber-enabled crime in the country overall.
And it’s not just a concerning outlook for Wales. According to the Cyber Security Breaches survey 2024, 50% of UK businesses reported cyber-attacks or security breaches, an increase of 18% on the previous year. And yet only 31% of businesses and 26% of charities have undertaken a cyber risk assessment that would highlight gaps in their policies, procedures as well as wider vulnerabilities.
The Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales (WCRC) recognises that Welsh organisations need support, so in response to this, launched a campaign last year which has seen them run a serious of free events for SMEs where they get the chance to experience first-hand the impact of a cyber-attack. These cyber security exercises are very useful simulations of specific cyber-attack scenarios that enable businesses to gain valuable insights into an actual response to a real-life breach attack.
Several million cases of fraud and of computer misuse are reported to the police every year. It's staggering, but even more staggering is that so many of those crimes could have been prevented by making a few small changes in online behaviour.
To avoid becoming a victim of online crime you don’t need to be a computer expert. Developing a few good online habits drastically reduces your chances of becoming a victim of cyber crime, makes you less vulnerable and lets you use the web safely.
Visit Cyber Aware for step-by-step instructions on keeping your devices up-to-date with the latest security updates, and for more online security advice.
Online fraud, also known as cyber crime, covers all crimes that:
- take place online
- are committed using computers, or
- are assisted by online technology
Visit South Wales Police website for more tips on being safe online