CyberSecurityAId: Empowering Small Businesses with Cyber Hygiene

Lead Participant: UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

Abstract

CyberSecurityAId is a pioneering project looking to revolutionise the cybersecurity landscape for small businesses in the United Kingdom. This transformative initiative is driven by a clear and compelling motivation: to address the critical cybersecurity needs of micro-businesses and sole traders, who collectively constitute over 95% of UK businesses. These small entities often struggle with limited resources and cybersecurity knowledge, making them vulnerable to cyber incidents. Traditional cybersecurity solutions and certifications, such as Cyber Essentials, are often out of reach for these small businesses.

The core of our innovative solution lies in a dynamic self-assessment tool, powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). This tool empowers micro-business managers and sole traders by providing them with accessible and actionable insights to strengthen their cyber hygiene practices. It simplifies the complex world of cybersecurity, offering personalised recommendations to safeguard their digital assets, systems and processes effectively.

Our tool has the potential to benefit a significant number of micro-businesses and sole traders across various sectors while offering a cost-effective and sustainable solution. This project not only addresses a critical need in the market but also holds promise as a model for enhancing cybersecurity awareness and resilience among traditionally underserved sectors.

Lead Participant

Project Cost

Grant Offer

UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX £55,958 £ 55,958

Publications

10 25 50