The North East of England Business Resilience Centre has been live for over 6 months, Director Rebecca Chapman, who is also a Superintendent gives some insights into the progress that has been made, timely, as more Cyber Resilience Centres in the planned network get underway.
“Over the last six months, we’ve been working with police, big businesses and universities in the North East Region to establish the North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC), a unique partnership that will help protect the 560,000 SMEs in the region from cyber threats.
In that short time, we’ve helped to establish an advisory group of cyber industry and business specialists to offer local insight and a board of industry chiefs who are using their experience to drive the focus on protecting both the public and small businesses. “
What do you consider to be the NEBRC’S greatest achievement so far?
The connections we’ve established so far through the Board and the Advisory Panel, and the website with its wide range of advice and guidance. We are also considered a flagship BRC, with the other 10 to be established in the next year across the country.
How is the NEBRC coping during the COVID-19 crisis?
We are all working from home and social distancing, using technology to stay in touch online so we can still issue guidance and provide services by email, over the phone and on the web page. We are in touch with the NCSC daily via BRIM and we have a wide network of other centres due to come online, as well as cyber colleagues, our advisory panel and Board, local police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, who work with us through these uncertain times. We have had to postpone our free launch seminars to encourage membership, but people can still join remotely – the contact details are on our web page or they can e-mail us.
How has the media response to the development of the Centres?
The media has been very interested, and we have been featured on numerous occasions (see below) There is indeed an appetite from the business community for this trusted resource to help improve risk management of cybercrime for SME’s.
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