The British Standards Institution has advised that businesses setting up e-commerce tech for Christmas should pay close attention to cyber-security and privacy management.
The heaviest shopping period of the year is upon us, but the global pandemic has put serious pressure on traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. Local firms that would normally benefit from packed city centres are bracing for the lowest Christmas footfall on record as lockdowns continue across the UK and there are no plans beyond the next few weeks.
Recent statistics showed that over half of all Christmas gifts are being bought online this year for the first time, and many small businesses are adapting by setting up e-commerce tech and opening up online sales. BSI has been assisting companies with getting their businesses e-commerce ready and remaining safe across the island of Ireland.
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New registrations of .ie domains in Ireland were recorded to be up 56% year-on-year earlier this year as more businesses bought websites for the first time, and some may not be aware of the cyber-security risks they'll need to defend against or their privacy responsibilities regarding data protection laws such as GDPR. The Consulting Services team at BSI is reaching out to companies to offer help with challenges in cybersecurity, privacy, and information management.
Stephen Bowes, Global Practice Director for Data Management and Security Technologies at BSI said: "One of the key business trends of 2020 has been organizations pivoting online in response to Government restrictions. This is largely a positive trend, however as the volume of data transactions increases, especially at this time of year, cyber attackers will be looking for opportunities. They’ll be seeking to exploit small and vulnerable organizations, and the trust model of online shopping, so it is vital that organizations know how to stay safe online."
Source: Written based on press release
