Mastercard has launched a free digital cybersecurity training programme for small businesses in the UK, providing practical lessons covering phishing, password security, malicious software and the protection of important business accounts.
The new SME Academy: Cybersecurity platform is intended to help smaller employers develop essential security knowledge without the cost of formal training courses. It forms part of Mastercard’s wider commitment to provide free cybersecurity resources and education to ten million European SMEs by 2030.
The service offers short, interactive learning modules designed for business owners and employees who may not have specialist information technology or security responsibilities. The content focuses on common forms of cyberattack and the basic actions organisations can take to reduce their exposure.
One area concerns phishing, in which criminals attempt to persuade employees to disclose information, open malicious attachments or visit fraudulent websites. The training covers recognising suspicious messages and checking links, files and other communications before interacting with them.
Other modules address password management and multi-factor authentication, which can provide additional protection when passwords are compromised. Businesses are also encouraged to consider how employees and external service providers are given access to information and digital systems.
Device protection and malicious software form another part of the programme. Employees will be introduced to the risks associated with unsafe downloads, compromised equipment, identity theft and attempts to impersonate legitimate businesses or individuals.
These topics are particularly relevant to small organisations where the business owner may also be responsible for purchasing software, managing customer information and overseeing payment systems. Security arrangements can therefore depend on people whose principal responsibilities lie outside technology management.
Mastercard’s launch follows research suggesting that many smaller companies recognise cyber threats but have not consistently adopted protective tools. In its Dreamonomics survey, 65% of the UK SMEs questioned considered cybersecurity a high priority, while 39% reported using tools such as antivirus software and firewalls.
The Dreamonomics findings came from a survey of more than 6,000 SMEs across 18 countries, including more than 400 respondents in the United Kingdom. The reported UK percentages describe that survey group, rather than a direct measurement of every small business in the country.
Separately, the government’s latest Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 46% of small businesses had experienced a cyberattack or breach during the preceding year. That research illustrates the operational exposure facing organisations with limited security resources.
Cyber incidents can disrupt customer services, interrupt access to important systems and create additional work restoring records or managing compromised accounts. Businesses that depend on digital payments, online customer relationships and cloud-based administration need to consider these operational dependencies alongside their existing commercial risks.
Mastercard’s training programme complements other cybersecurity support available to SMEs, including the government’s recently introduced discount for Cyber Essentials certification. The two initiatives serve different purposes: the Mastercard service provides education, while Cyber Essentials involves assessing whether an organisation meets specified security requirements.
The academy can provide an introduction to protective practices, but businesses implementing those practices may also need to review software, equipment and access arrangements. Formal certification, specialist advice and incident response planning remain separate activities.
Mastercard has not disclosed an initial target for UK enrolments or figures showing how many businesses have completed the training. The programme is available through its SME Academy website, where employers can access the learning materials without a course fee.
You must be logged in to post a comment.