Leading company Ultracomms, which specialises in card payment solutions, is warning businesses to strengthen security in the wake of one of the UK’s biggest data breaches.
Derwyn Jones, Chief Executive of UK-based Ultracomms, says organisations which process card payment details should act now in order to minimise the risk of financial and reputational damage from a data breach. It comes amid reports that Dixons Carphone could face a fine of up to £400m after a computer hack exposed the payment card information of six million customers.
He said: “The Dixons Carphone data breach will go down as one of the biggest data breaches at a single firm in UK history – and is a stark reminder to all businesses that we live in a new era of cybersecurity. Businesses are being encouraged to use testing to check for vulnerabilities within their systems to amend anything that is at risk of cyberattack – unfortunately, not all businesses fully understand the risks that hackers pose.
“It is a time where the hacking threat is unprecedented and no company is seemingly immune. Running parallel to this increasing threat are the most rigorous data protection laws Europe has ever seen. The result spells trouble for any business that does not invest now in robust systems and apps which have been through the proper Mobile Application Security Testing protocols that protect consumer data.”
Business owners should also be aware of the likelihood of their business being hacked because while it’s possible for a small pet shop to suffer a data breach, it is for more likely that a law firm that handles hundreds of cases of sensitive data will be targeted. This means that a lot of these firms are looking for law firm it services that will allow them to outsource their IT, remain in compliance, and keep safe from a breach.
Research shows that two-thirds of businesses are still using outdated technology to take payments – where card details are read out over the phone – and putting themselves at risk. Derwyn said that damage to reputation was potentially more harmful in the long-run to any business that suffers a serious data breach.
He added: “Any company’s reputation is built on a relationship of trust with their customer base. Once this has been tarnished in such a high-profile way, can it ever be restored? Only time will tell.
