Large UK businesses are getting pwned way more than smaller ones

But are they just better at sniffing out breaches?

Larger businesses in the UK are far more likely to be victims of attacks than smaller ones, according to a survey by the British Chamber of Commerce.

Nearly half (42 per cent) of companies with more than 100 staff have been hit by information spillages, hackers or malware attacks. This figure compares to 18 per cent of companies with fewer than 99 employees who have suffered a security breach.

More comprehensive studies, such as the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, have shown that breaches often go undetected for weeks and months. So it could be that larger businesses are more proficient at detecting problems than their smaller counterparts.

The poll of 1,200 businesses, published on Tuesday, found that companies rely on IT providers (63 per cent) much more than banks and financial institutions (12 per cent) to resolve issues after an attack. Only one in 50 look to police and law enforcement (2 per cent) for help after being pwned.

From May 2018, all businesses that handle personal data will have to ensure they are compliant with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation.

Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "Companies are reporting a reliance on IT support providers to resolve cyber-attacks. More guidance from government and police about where and how to report attacks would provide businesses with a clear path to follow in the event of a cyber-security breach, and increase clarity around the response options available to victims, which would help minimise the occurrence of cybercrime." ®