The Institution of Engineering and Technology has surveyed 250 companies

Apr 30, 2013 12:32 GMT  ·  By

According to a recent study published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), only a few of small and medium-size businesses from the United Kingdom are prepared to handle cyber threats.

The study has found that only 14% of the 250 surveyed companies catalogue security threats as having the highest priority. These firms feel they have enough skills and resources to manage the threat.

30% of the respondents say they have sufficient protection against potential threats to software embedded in their products.

Interestingly, only half of small to medium enterprises are aware of the government’s cyber security strategy.

“With increasing threats to systems and new vulnerabilities emerging daily, we are working to raise awareness among the UK engineering and technology community of the need to improve the cyber security of both our critical national infrastructure and all the technology we use,” noted Hugh Boyes, the IET’s cyber security expert.

The IET reveals that there’s a significant lack of skilled workers, and there’s a clear need to raise awareness and increase the protection of software embedded in these organizations’ products.