How businesses can get cyber security right and rebound
After a year of mass homeworking, some of us will soon be returning to the office as the vaccine rollout and the Prime Minister’s roadmap towards unlocking society progresses.
But a new way of working demands a new approach to cyber security, too. With employees operating from anywhere, critical data needs to be protected no matter where they are or how they collaborate.
To adapt to a more fluid working environment, security solutions must meet these core needs.
Enabling business continuity
After a turbulent 12 months, the last thing organisations need is more disruption. That is exactly what cyber-attacks, if successful, will bring.
And the problem is getting worse. 23% of IT professionals have experienced an increase in security incidents since transitioning to remote working, according to the cyber security organisation, (ISC)2.
Yet the fundamental link between business continuity and cyber security isn’t always recognised.
ITPro put it very well in a summary of the recent DCMS report on the UK cyber security sector during the pandemic.
It wrote that ‘senior management typically prioritise business continuity over cyber security, with a lack of acknowledgement that security itself should be a key component of business continuity.’
Organisations will be safer and guarantee continuity if they apply a range of security solutions rather than relying on a single, ageing system.
And enabling real-time monitoring of faults and vulnerabilities is also crucial because being alerted to a threat early can make a massive difference to minimising the impact of a cyber attack.
Uniting security and connectivity
Security and connectivity are one and the same.
If businesses deal with security through a separate supplier, there is more admin from an operational perspective and more systems or applications to deal with.
And even if the supplier is a security expert, they won’t have the same understanding of your network and cloud-based tools as your connectivity provider.
This can leave businesses with gaps to fill, rendering them less secure and less effective in the world of hybrid working.
Most importantly, however, if your connectivity infrastructure isn’t inherently secure without the need for third-party add-ons, your network (arguably the most vulnerable part of your organisation when it comes to keeping your data safe) won’t be as protected as it could be.
The net result of all the above?
More risk. More hassle. More room for human error.
Making things simpler
95% of cyber-attacks are successful because of human error, according to IBM.
So it’s crucial for employees to feel comfortable and knowledgeable about cyber security. When they do, there’s less chance of a mistake.
When security is embedded on a network and all the tools that run on it, it becomes easy and intuitive for end users.
And for business leaders, integration will mean fewer suppliers and systems to deal with, making running a cyber security strategy much more convenient.
When talking about cyber security and the technical and operational challenges it brings it is easy to forget this is ultimately about people. Security is about how we relate to technology, and what value we think it adds to our lives.
That’s why a successful cyber security strategy depends on business leaders speaking to their employees and making sure it works for them.
By putting employees first and securing a technology partner that enables continuity, flexibility, and simplicity, businesses will be much better placed to rebound.
Jill Broom
Jill Broom
Jill leads the techUK Cyber Resilience programme, having originally joined techUK in October 2020 as a Programme Manager for the Cyber and Central Government programmes. She is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security ecosystem, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Jill also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and government conduit for supporting the growth of the sector. A key focus of her work is to strengthen the public–private partnership across cyber to support further development of UK cyber security and resilience policy.
Before joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.
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- [email protected]
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- www.techuk.org/
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-broom-19aa824
Annie Collings
Annie Collings
Annie is the Programme Manager for Cyber Resilience at techUK. She first joined as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.
In her role, Annie supports the Cyber Security SME Forum, engaging regularly with key government and industry stakeholders to advance the growth and development of SMEs in the cyber sector. Annie also coordinates events, engages with policy makers and represents techUK at a number of cyber security events.
Before joining techUK, Annie was an Account Manager at a specialist healthcare agency, where she provided public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. She also gained experience as an intern in both an MP’s constituency office and with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. Annie holds a degree in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University.
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- [email protected]
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- anniecollings24
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/
Olivia Staples
Olivia Staples
Olivia Staples joined techUK in May 2025 as a Junior Programme Manager in the Cyber Resilience team.
She supports the programs mission to promote cyber resilience by engaging key commercial and government stakeholders to shape the cyber resilience policy towards increased security and industry growth. Olivia assists in member engagement, event facilitation and communications support.
Before joining techUK, Olivia gained experience in research, advocacy, and strategic communications across several international organisations. At the Munich Security Conference, she supported stakeholder engagement and contributed to strategic communications. She also worked closely with local and national government stakeholders in Spain and Italy, where she was involved in policy monitoring and advocacy for both public and private sector clients.
Olivia holds an MSc in Political Science (Comparative Politics and Conflict Studies) from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies from University College London (UCL).
Outside of tech, Olivia enjoys volunteering with local charities and learning Norwegian.
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- [email protected]
Francesca Richiusa
Francesca Richiusa
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.
Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.
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- [email protected]
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- www.techuk.org/
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-richiusa/