Merseyside Police launches cyber security month at Anfield

Businesses across Merseyside gathered at Liverpool FC's Anfield stadium on Tuesday 6 October as Merseyside Police launched its Cyber Security Awareness Month activities with an event focused on emerging cyber threats.

The Cyber Connect event, organised by Merseyside Police's Cybercrime Unit in partnership with the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, brought together representatives from the public and private sectors to explore the latest cyber risks and learn about the support available to help organisations improve their cyber resilience.

The Cybercrime Unit’s month-long programme of engagement is focused on raising awareness among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which continue to account for a significant proportion of cybercrime reports nationally. Latest figures show SMEs made up 62 per cent of organisational reports where business size was known, while organisations with fewer than 50 employees accounted for 45 per cent of reports. Merseyside Police is also seeing a national rise in the suspected criminal use of artificial intelligence reflected locally.

Detective Sergeant Danny Gavin from Merseyside Police's Cybercrime Unit said:"Cybercrime is not just a concern for large organisations. Small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly impacted by cybercrime due to lesser established cyber security practices.

"Cyber Security Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to engage directly with organisations across Merseyside, share practical advice and help them build resilience against evolving threats such as ransomware and AI-enabled cybercrime."

The Cyber Connect event featured presentations from leading cyber security professionals and practitioners.

Detective Sergeant Darren Devonport shared insights from real-life ransomware and insider threat investigations, while delegates also heard from Paul Benson of the North West Cyber Resilience Centre and Ben Sefton of Insightful AI on cyber security support and the opportunities and risks presented by artificial intelligence.

A key feature of the day was an interactive cyber-attack simulation exercise led by cyber resilience specialist Jenny Lam, which challenged participants to experience how an attack can affect every part of an organisation.

Businesses that did not attend the event are reminded that support is available throughout the year. Small and medium-sized enterprises can access free cyber security advice and training opportunities through Merseyside Police's Cybercrime Unit and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU), helping organisations improve preparedness and reduce vulnerability to cyber-enabled crime.

Detective Sergeant Gavin added:"One of the strongest messages from today's event was that cyber security is a business-wide responsibility. Technology alone is not enough. Successful organisations combine good technical controls, well-trained staff, and clear incident response plans.

"By working together with partners and businesses across Merseyside, we can make it harder for cybercriminals to succeed."

Ransomware remains one of the most disruptive cyber threats facing organisations. Criminals often gain access through phishing emails or unpatched systems before encrypting files and stealing data. The National Cyber Security Centre recommends maintaining secure offline backups, applying security updates promptly and using multi-factor authentication wherever possible.

Merseyside Police is also encouraging organisations to:

• Work towards achievingCyber Essentials certification, the government-backed scheme designed to help organisations defend against common cyber threats through five key technical controls.

• Contact theNorth West Cyber Resilience Centre, which offers free membership, training opportunities, and fully funded regional support programmes for SMEs.

• Register forPolice Cyber Alarm, the free police-backed service that helps organisations identify vulnerabilities and understand suspicious activity targeting their networks.

Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:"Cybercrime is one of the fastest-growing threats facing businesses and organisations today, and the reality is that no organisation is immune.

"As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by criminals. From ransomware attacks to increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled scams, it is essential that organisations of all sizes take steps to strengthen their cyber resilience.

"Events such as Cyber Connect play a vital role in bringing together businesses, policing and specialist partners to share knowledge, build awareness and learn from one another. The more connected we are, the better equipped we will be to identify emerging threats and respond when incidents occur.

"Cyber Security Awareness Month is an opportunity for all organisations to review their protections, strengthen good practice and ensure their staff have the knowledge they need to stay safe online. I would encourage organisations across our region to take advantage of the free advice, training and support offered by Merseyside Police and the NWROCU to help build a strong cyber-aware culture.

"By working together, sharing information and building strong partnerships, we can help organisations stay one step ahead of cyber criminals, protect the services people rely on and ensure Merseyside remains a safe and secure place to live, work and do business."

Reporting cybercrime

• If you believe you have been a victim of cybercrime or fraud, please report it to Report Fraud atreportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

• If you have information about those committing cybercrime or fraud, you can pass information via Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at:crimestoppers-uk.org