5 September 2012
Last updated at 02:10 GMT
The government and GCHQ will work together to help the private sector
The government is issuing advice to British business leaders on how to protect themselves from cyber threats.
At a conference at the Foreign Office, ministers and officials from communications intelligence agency, GCHQ will tell companies to create a more security conscious culture.
It is estimated that UK businesses lose £21bn a year to cyber crime.
Banks, manufacturers, energy suppliers and broadcasters are among those attacked this year, officials say.
Government departments, engineering firms, academic institutions and even charities have also come under attack.
However, a survey in May by BAE Systems Detica suggested nearly nine out of 10 UK businesses were very or fairly confident about their defences.
Iain Lobban, the head of GCHQ will tell business leaders that such confidence is misplaced with potentially major implications for the economy and customers trust in online services.
He will ask board members and chief executives how confident they are that their company’s most important information is safe from cyber threats and whether they are aware of the impact on a company’s reputation, share price or even existence if sensitive information is stolen.
Last June the head of UK security agency MI5 said it was battling “astonishing” levels of cyber-attacks on UK industry.
Jonathan Evans warned internet “vulnerabilities” were being exploited by criminals as well as states.
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19485047
