Online and cyber crime affected 15% of construction businesses last year, according to a new report by the government.
The latest figures from the Home Office victimisation survey show that there was 77,000 incidents of online crime against construction premises in 2014/15. A total of 71% of cases related to computer viruses and 10% involved hacking attacks, although there is a degree of overlap between different types of online crime.
The survey estimated that 2,000 businesses suffered a theft of money online. The survey also showed that smaller construction premises were experiencing similar rates of crime as larger companies, although larger companies were spending significantly more on IT security.
Steve Snaith, head of technology risk assurance at business adviser RSM, said: “It’s very clear from this report that incidences of online crime against construction premises are going largely unreported. In the past, cyber crime may have seemed like a remote existential threat, but it is increasingly common and construction firms need to take it seriously.
“As a minimum, every company, regardless of size, should have anti-virus or anti-spam software together with robust security update procedures. Other areas of importance include, in particular, the need for an internal staff education process regarding cyber risk awareness.”
The figures also revealed that of the crimes, only 3% of cases were reported to the police.
Construction companies are often hesitant to report cyber crime for fear of reputational damage, something explored in our feature BIM and cyber security: Defending the chain.
