British businesses woefully unprepared for a cyber attack

An extensive report of more than 1000 UK professionals confirms that a shocking 26% of British businesses have left themselves open to the clear and present danger of a cyber attack.

The independent research carried out by Advanced, the UK’s third largest software and services provider, also revealed that nearly half (46%) claim that data security is not a deciding factor in adopting digital technology. This is despite recent Government research into cyber security, which found that two thirds of large businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year.

The report also asked about the implications of Brexit; 51% of respondents agreed that Brexit is an opportunity for growth and prosperity for British businesses, and 61% claimed to be well prepared or preparing for it. This is despite the fact that 60% of respondents agree that the biggest impact of budget cuts of Brexit will only be felt in the next 18-24 months.

Leadership readiness
The state of readiness among industry leaders came under the spotlight in the survey. Respondents were asked to rank the most important attributes of a business leader:
• Just 45% chose a ‘strong digital skill set’
• A ‘digital first vision’ lagged behind, identified by only a third

The three leading responses were:
• 86% stated an ability to reimagine and adapt its business
• 71% chose ‘act with pace’
• 61% picked ‘take bold decisions’

Britain’s overall digital readiness
Businesses are worryingly unprepared for the implications of digital disruption with an incredible 85% of those in the public sector believing the Government has not provided enough budget to successfully implement its digital agenda.

In addition, 30% do not have access to real-time information, although 84% believe that such information allows for faster, more informed decision making and 70% believe automation of manual tasks would free up valuable time to focus on value added services.

A full report outlining all findings is available to download from the Advanced website.