Security breach

CyberSmart partners with Vodafone Ireland to enable secure connectivity for SMEs

Survey finds more than half of Irish small businesses have paid a ransom demand
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6 July 2022

In association with CyberSmart

CyberSmart, a UK leader in simple and accessible automated cybersecurity technology for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), has announced a strategic partnership with Vodafone Ireland. Following the launch of productivity solutions including Office 365 and AppHelp by Vodafone, this initiative to bolster cybersecurity defences serves as a natural progression to equip SMEs for successful, secure ways of working in today’s digital age. The move also represents CyberSmart’s debut on the European market, marking a significant step for the company toward global expansion.

A recent study from Typetec published in October 2021 found that over half of Irish small businesses have paid a ransom demand, averaging at €22,712. In fact, a majority (57%) have also created a cryptocurrency reserve in case they are needed to pay a ransom. Yet, in spite of this general awareness of cyber threats and anticipation of ransom demands, only 39% of SMEs in Ireland believe they are well-protected from attacks. Through CyberSmart’s platform, Vodafone will help businesses to change the narrative and prevent them from falling victim to cybercriminals.

With little to no IT expertise required, CyberSmart’s technology continuously assesses all laptops, mobiles and tablets against best practices, and recommends fixes to reduce cyber risk – regardless of the network a device operates on, whether it is company or employee-owned, while home or remote working. They offer a trust seal to demonstrate the business’ commitment and compliance with said best practices. CyberSmart also provides SMEs with digital security training for all staff and a GDPR compliant data protection policy.

“Since inception, CyberSmart’s primary objective has been to empower SMEs to take back control of their cybersecurity. Our technology is affordable, straightforward to implement, but most importantly, easy to use. SMEs are under-attack and underserved – we’re looking forward to supporting the tens of thousands of Irish SMEs that fend off cyberattacks on a daily basis.” said Jamie Akhtar, CEO and co-founder of CyberSmart. “We are thrilled to be working alongside Vodafone Ireland, whose vision very closely aligns with ours. The world has gone digital in the last couple of years, and we’re here to make sure SMEs can stay resilient and secure online.”

Managing director of Vodafone Business in Ireland Sinead Bryan said: “Vodafone is committed to providing essential connectivity solutions to Irish SMEs. This new automated security service and partnership with CyberSmart further enables us to safeguard our SME customers, support them on their digital transformation journey and protect them from the ever-growing cyber threat environment”


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