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Why this matters to SMEs
Many business owners assume that cyber attacks can only happen to large organisations.
The stark reality is cyber criminals don’t discriminate.
PHP powers a large proportion of the internet, including websites built on platforms such as WordPress, making the potential impact widespread.
An attacker may not need sophisticated techniques to gain access to a website, customer portal or booking system if it relies on vulnerable software. Most of the time organisations only become aware of vulnerabilities after an update is issued or an incident occurs.
For SMEs, a successful cyber-attack could cause:
- Business disruption and downtime
- Loss of customer data
- Financial loss
- Reputational damage
- Compliance issues
- Loss of customer trust
A wake-up call for businesses
Organisations have been forced to react quickly to these vulnerabilities. Reports suggest that attacks began shortly after details of the vulnerabilities became public and millions of attempted exploits were reported as organisations had to race to deploy fixes.
This is a reminder that new vulnerabilities are discovered every day and businesses need to be prepared to respond quickly when they are.
What the latest PHP vulnerabilities can teach us about Cyber Essentials
The PHP vulnerabilities highlight a common challenge for businesses: cyber security isn’t often considered until an incident makes the headlines.
One of the most effective ways for SMEs to increase their cyber resilience is through the UK Government-backed certification scheme, Cyber Essentials. The certification is designed to help organisations defend themselves against the most common cyber threats.
Cyber Essentials focuses on key security controls, including:
- Firewalls
- Secure configuration
- User access controls
- Malware protection
- Security update management
The PHP issue highlights why keeping software updated is so important. Vulnerabilities can be found at any time, and organisations that delay security updates can leave themselves exposed to known threats.
The Cyber Essentials certification isn’t just a tick box exercise. Evidence shows that it delivers real benefits:
- Organisations with a Cyber Essentials certification are 92% less likely to make a cyber insurance claim than those without the certification.
- More than 61,000 Cyber Essentials certificates were awarded last year in the UK showing the importance of cyber security across organisations of all sizes.
- Cyber Essentials is increasingly being used as part of supplier assurance and procurement requirements, with many government contracts and larger organisations expecting suppliers to demonstrate a recognised level of cyber security.
Taking a proactive approach to cyber security has never been more important with 43% of UK businesses reporting experiencing a cyber-attack or breach in the last 12 months.
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