Computer attacks on UK businesses double

Computer attacks on UK businesses have doubled in the last two years, according to research from the Department of Trade and Industry. In its Information Security Breaches Survey, unveiled at the Infosecurity 2004 show, the DTI found businesses more vulnerable than during the last survey in 2002. The research found that large companies are attacked at least once a week, with the average company receiving one attack every month. Larger companies are also getting a virus attack once a month. Three-quarters of all those surveyed - and 94 per cent of large firms - had a security incident in the last year.

Speaking at the launch Stephen Timms, minister of state for e-commerce, described the research as an important wake-up call. "The survey is a call to action; the stakes are high," he said.

"This survey shows the scale of the effort business needs to make. The costs will only increase until companies follow best practice. Until now it could be thought that information problems were something that happened to other people."

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