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60% of Irish SMEs not taking data protection steps – study
Six in 10 Irish SMEs take no particular steps to protect customer data online or do not know how to, according to new research.
The study from .IE, the managers of Ireland’s online .ie address, found that just 15% of SMEs said they use a firewall or antivirus software, 11% use two-factor authentication and just 4% said they trained staff in cybersecurity best practice.
This is despite 75% of consumers saying they were “very” or “somewhat concerned” about the security of their data when shopping online.
“While it might be tempting for a small business to postpone investing in anything that doesn’t lead to a measurable return in the here and now, a cyberattack can be immediately devastating and lead to permanent erosion of customer trust,” David Curtin, Chief Executive of .IE said.
The .IE Tipping Point report also shows that the pandemic has accelerated Ireland’s move towards cashless transactions.
62% of consumers said they were using cash “significantly” or “somewhat less” since the start of the pandemic.
Despite this, as many as 25% of all Irish SMEs still only accept cash payments.
The pandemic has also led to an increase in online shopping.
55% of consumers said they will prioritise online shopping in 2022 and 16% said they will do most of their shopping online.
Article Source – 60% of Irish SMEs not taking data protection steps – study – RTE – Brian O’Donovan
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