CommSec wins best innovation award for making cyber security accessible to SMEs

Fingal Chamber Business Awards recognises work of cyber security firm

Trade

In association with CommSec

On a November evening full of glitz and glamour, CommSec, the Blanchardstown-based cyber security provider, picked up the award for best innovation in business at the 2022 Fingal Chamber Business Awards. The awards ceremony represents the best businesses throughout Fingal, the area taking in Swords, Blanchardstown, Malahide, Skerries, Balbriggan and other areas of North County Dublin.

The award comes for their Business Secure service which is aimed at making cybersecurity accessible to SMEs. The service was launched in 2021 after the pandemic saw cyber attacks surge globally to record levels due to IT security weaknesses leftover from working from home and the lightning pace of digital transformation. The service has already been a success and CommSec has signed up a number of new customers from the recruitment, brokerage, and charity verticals, amongst others.

CommSec CEO David McNamara said: “CommSec’s ethos is all about supporting SMEs. As a small company ourselves, we know extremely well the strains and challenges that SMEs have to deal with such as recruitment, rising costs and insurance. Cyber security should not be something anyone has to put off due to a lack of budget, internal knowledge, or resources.”

Business Secure gives SMEs access to enterprise-level cybersecurity without the enterprise-level price tag. The package includes controls like device encryption, anti-malware, e-mail security, software security updates and all backed up with a security helpdesk in case something goes wrong.

Starting at €50 a month for a single user, the service provides cyber security hardening and monitoring for up to three devices per user. The service is ideal for any small or micro business that has to deal with sensitive data or is connected to a larger business through its supply chain.

McNamara adds: “As we know, the cost of a breach or a ransomware attack now could be fatal for a small business. Entrepreneurs have a lot on their plate and might not have the awareness to know about all the different risks out there. For example, a risk like not having the latest Microsoft security patch could be a potential incident waiting to happen. Cyber criminals are thriving on SMEs because there are so many opportunities for exploitation. With Business Secure we make it accessible and affordable for any small organisation to have the same or better cyber controls as a large multi-national.”

When asked about where the idea came from, McNamara said: “It came about by leveraging new technology and backing that up with our experienced security analysts. At the beginning we got about eight of our team in the room, each with their own specialisations, and we put together a simple yet robust service that levels the playing field for SMEs. We can roll it out by remote connection and start monitoring a business’s devices for any threats within 48 hours. There are no strings attached and people can cancel at any time for whatever reason.”

Business Secure is available on a monthly subscription. See www.commsec.ie/business-secure for more information.