What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting your digital systems and data from unauthorized access, theft, or damage. It is not just a concern for large corporations or government agencies. Cybersecurity is vital for any business that relies on technology, especially veterinary practices.

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Why is Cybersecurity important for Veterinary practices?

Cybersecurity is not only a concern for big corporations or government agencies. It is also a vital issue for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), especially those in the veterinary sector.

As a veterinary practice owner or manager, you may think that your business is too small or insignificant to attract the attention of cybercriminals. However, this is far from the truth. In fact, SMBs are more likely to be targeted by cyber-attacks than larger enterprises, because they often have weaker security measures, less awareness, and fewer resources to deal with the consequences.

According to a report by Hiscox, 47% of SMBs in the UK experienced a cyber-attack in the past year, and only 11% were rated as having high cyber readiness. Another report by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) revealed that 40% of SMBs had not taken any action to protect themselves from cyber threats, despite acknowledging the potential impact on their reputation, customer trust, and finances.

Veterinary practices are attractive targets for cybercriminals because they store sensitive information about their clients, patients and staff, such as personal details, medical records, payment data, payroll data, and insurance information. A breach of this data could result in financial losses, reputational damage, legal liabilities, and regulatory fines.

According to the Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2023; 53% of businesses experienced a cyber attack in 2023, with UK firms hit the worst financially across the globe. One in 5 firms (21%) said that the impact was enough to threaten the viability of their business. 31% of firms that were attacked reported increased ongoing costs as a result of a cyber attack. According to the IBM Cost of Data Breach Report 2023, the average cost of a data breach in the UK is £3.4 million. 52% of breaches involve a compromise of Customer Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and 40% involve compromise of Employee PII.

Besides the risk of data breaches, veterinary practices also face other cyber threats, such as ransomware, phishing, malware, denial-of-service attacks, and insider threats. These attacks can disrupt your business operations, compromise your equipment and devices, and endanger your staff and patients. A survey by Hiscox found that the average cost of a cyber attack for a small business in the UK was £20,000 in 2023.

Therefore, cybersecurity is not a luxury or an option for veterinary practices. It is a necessity and a responsibility. By investing in cybersecurity, you can protect your practice from cyber attacks, enhance your reputation and trust with your clients, and comply with the relevant laws and regulations.

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How can I protect my practice from cyber attacks?

But how can you improve your cybersecurity posture without spending a fortune, hiring a full-time IT team, or becoming a technical expert yourself? Here are some simple steps you can take to boost your cyber resilience and reduce your exposure to cyber risks:

Assess your current situation

• Identify your assets, such as computers, tablets, smartphones, printers, scanners, servers, routers, and software.

• Evaluate your vulnerabilities, such as outdated systems, weak passwords, unsecured networks, or lack of backups.

• Analyse your threats, such as who might want to attack you, what methods they might use, and what impact they might have.

• You can use tools like the NCSC's Cyber Essentials questionnaire or the Cyber Risk Aware self-assessment to help you with this process.

Implement basic controls:

Follow the best practices recommended by the NCSC's Cyber Essentials scheme, which covers five key areas:

1. Securing your internet connection

2. Securing your devices and software

3. Controlling access to your data and services

4. Protecting yourself from viruses and other malware

5. Keeping your devices and software up to date.

These controls can prevent 80% of common cyber attacks and are easy to implement without requiring specialist skills or expensive technology.

Train your staff

Your employees are your first line of defence against cyber threats, but they can also be your weakest link if they are not aware of the risks and how to avoid them. Educate your staff on how to recognise and report phishing emails, how to create and manage strong passwords, how to use public Wi-Fi safely, and how to handle sensitive data securely. You can use resources like the NCSC's Small Business Guide or the Cyber Risk Aware e-learning platform to help you with this task.

Backup your data

One of the most devastating consequences of a cyber-attack is losing your data, which can cripple your business and damage your reputation. To avoid this, you should backup your data regularly and store it in a secure location, such as an external hard drive or a cloud service. You should also test your backups periodically to ensure that they are working and that you can restore your data quickly and easily in case of an emergency.

Get certified

If you want to demonstrate your commitment to cybersecurity and gain a competitive edge in the market, you should consider getting certified by the NCSC's Cyber Essentials scheme. This is a government-backed accreditation that verifies that you have implemented the basic controls to protect yourself from cyber threats. It can also help you to win new business, especially if you work with clients who require a certain level of security, such as the public sector, the healthcare sector, or the insurance sector. Moreover, it can reduce your insurance premiums, as some insurers offer discounts or preferential rates to Cyber Essentials certified businesses.

However, even if you follow these steps, you may still face challenges and limitations when it comes to managing your cybersecurity effectively. For instance, you may not have enough time, money, or expertise to keep up with the evolving cyber landscape, to monitor your systems and networks continuously, or to respond and recover swiftly in case of an incident. This is where a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) like Rootwire can make a difference.

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Who are Rootwire?

Rootwire is a Cyber Essentials certified MSSP that specialises in providing tailored and affordable cybersecurity solutions for SMBs, especially in the veterinary sector. We understand the unique needs and challenges of running a veterinary practice, and we have the experience and the expertise to help you achieve your cybersecurity goals and grow your business. By working with us, you will benefit from our core focus:

Educating you and your staff on how to detect and defend against cyber attacks

We offer comprehensive and engaging training programmes that cover the latest cyber trends and threats, and how to prevent and mitigate them. We also provide ongoing support and guidance to help you stay informed and alert.

Protecting you and your business with best-in-class technologies.

We use cutting-edge tools and techniques to secure your systems and networks, such as firewalls, antivirus, encryption, VPN, endpoint protection, and intrusion detection and prevention. We also ensure that your devices and software are always updated and patched, and that your backups are reliable and accessible.

Preparing you and your business to respond and remediate rapidly in case of emergency.

We monitor your systems and networks 24/7 and actively remediate any suspicious or malicious activity, even while you sleep! We contain and isolate any incidents, to minimise the damage and disruption to your business. We also restore your normal operations as quickly as possible, and to learn from the experience and improve your security posture.

Partnering with you and your business to go beyond the tech and develop strategies that skyrocket your business success.

We don't just provide you with technical solutions, we also work with you to understand your business objectives and challenges, and to design and implement strategies that align with them. We also help you to leverage your security credentials to attract and retain more clients, to enhance your brand image and reputation, and to increase your profitability and growth.

To illustrate how Rootwire Ltd can help you protect your veterinary practice from cyber attacks, here is a table that compares the benefits of working with us versus managing your cybersecurity yourself:

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Benefits of working with Rootwire Ltd

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As you can see, working with Rootwire Ltd can save you time, money, and hassle, while providing you with superior security and business results. If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you protect your veterinary practice from cyber-attacks, please contact us today to claim your free cyber strategy session. We look forward to hearing from you and working with you to make your veterinary practice more secure, more successful, and more sustainable.