An audit, tax and advisory firm is offering a new service to help organisations strengthen cybercrime defences pre-attack and, in the event of a breach, investigate, mitigate and recover post-attack. Crowe Clark Whitehill says its offering includes pre-emptive and reactive support, for organisations to strengthen cybercrime protections, ensure compliance with data protection legislation, and recover quickly in the event of a successful cyber attack.
The auditors point out that almost half of all criminal offences in the UK now fall under the banner of ‘fraud and cybercrime’. Crowe Clark Whitehill says that its specialists can diagnose an organisation’s existing level of cybercrime protection and bolster defences to prevent an attack.
As the audit firm says, cybercrime can result in financial costs, legal sanctions, and reputational damage. The first step to prevention is to run effective diagnosis measurement – from mapping databases through to penetrative testing and assessing crisis communications preparedness.
Jim Gee, Head of Forensics and Counter Fraud at Crowe Clark Whitehill, says: “Fraud and cybercrime are the nation’s most common criminal offences, with 5.6 million cyber and fraud offences committed in 2016 alone. All organisations are vulnerable: almost a quarter of organisations in the UK have suffered breaches in the past 12 months, a figure that rises to 65% when looking at large organisations in isolation.
“To avoid public embarrassment and a hit to your bottom line, making sure you have the ability to prepare for and recover from a breach should be a business priority. While 100pc protection is not possible, Crowe’s unique team of cyber, counter fraud and legal experts can mitigate the legal and financial impact of a breach by reducing fines and addressing compliance failures.”
