Six out of 10 Irish SMEs have experienced a cyber attack - report

Sixty per cent of SMEs in Ireland have experienced a cyber-attack in the last 12 months, according to new research. 

One in five of those were data breaches (20%) and seventeen per cent of SMEs experienced phishing attacks. 

Technology purchase decisions and usage habits in Irish SMEs are now being driven by concern of potential cyber-attacks.

A national survey by Samsung Ireland, conducted by 3Gem, targeted 250 small and medium sized companies across the Republic of Ireland. With a heightened concern for cybersecurity and working on-the-go creating bigger security risks, three in five respondents (59%) see in-built security features in their mobile device as a key consideration when investing in mobile technology.

When investing in technology, over a third (31%) of business leaders agreed they would like one device that could cater for both lifestyles, work and play.

However, many senior leaders in SMEs are concerned about the sharing of company data. The findings reflect that over forty per cent (42%) of Irish SMEs do not allow employees to download business data onto their mobile devices. And when it comes to mobile security, forty-three per cent view a potential data breach as their biggest concern.

These concerns mirror the heightened cybersecurity environment for SMEs, with many falling victim to cybersecurity breaches. Of the aforementioned cyber-attacks on Irish SMEs this year, one in five were data breaches (20%) and seventeen per cent were phishing attacks (17%). 

Commenting on the research, Adrian McInerney, General Manager of Samsung’s Enterprise Business in Ireland, said: “SMEs in Ireland are worrying more about cybersecurity than ever before. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many industries are capitalising on hybrid work, which has put a new lens on cybersecurity for SME leaders. Security is now as big of a consideration as a good camera, it needs to be on par with functionality.

 “Smaller businesses fall into a trap of not investing in their security. The investment in defences is the first step in stopping bad actors from hacking your technology. At Samsung, we have developed a security and management framework called Knox that provides a security foundation on all Samsung devices including our latest Foldable range; the Z Flip 4 and Samsung Z Fold 4.”  

Other key findings of the survey confirm that as a society, we are starting to work on-the-go even more during commutes, from home, and other locations. The research discovered that two-thirds (66%) of those surveyed believe the ability to work on the move is a key benefit of their mobile device.

This is reflected by a third (33%) of respondents choosing a smartphone or tablet as their choice device for productivity.  In terms of what devices businesses are using for work, two-thirds (66%) of respondents said that their laptop makes them feel most productive in work.

Interconnectivity has become a key technology feature used by SMEs, with half of business leaders saying they want a work device that connects seamlessly to other devices, such as laptop, TV etc.  A further forty-five per cent (45%) said they wanted a mobile phone that can have multiple apps on screen at the one time. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 device is designed for productivity and allows up to three apps on screen at any one time. 

Speaking on the topic of securing your business technology, Adrian said, “From the research we can see a clear correlation between businesses purchasing decisions and their shift to working on-the-go. From the research over thirty per cent (32%) of Irish SME’s are upgrading their work smartphones every 18 months. They are looking for devices that will suit the new work habits including more portable technology for working on the move and enhanced productivity features”.