Cyber security consists of processes and technologies designed to protect systems, networks, people and data from cyber attacks.

In the UK, whether at home or at work, the majority of us are reliant on digital communication and online services, and this can result in an exposure to cyber security risks.

Although the impact of cybercrime is difficult to quantify, this year a cyber security breaches survey was released, finding that 43 per cent of businesses and 20 per cent of charities experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the last year.

Despite this, it was also found that a 20 per cent of businesses and 15 per cent of charities have had any staff attend, whether internal or external, cyber security training in the last year.

Although it is difficult to keep up with new technologies and security trends, it is necessary to protect your digital life, both at home and work.

By developing an understanding of cyber security, you will be able to recognise threats that could harm you and take steps to reduce the chances of becoming a victim of a cyber-attack. Attending a course will prepare you and your workforce for inbound scams, attacks and phishing attempts and would provide you with concise information.

However, if a cyber security course is not feasible for you just yet, there are many free online resources available that cover the basics of cyber security in a non-technical manner.

If you are considering cyber security as a career, it is ideal to be confident with the latest technologies for security and how good processes can benefit businesses from a security standpoint. Kali Linux is an excellent platform to begin learning penetration testing, even if you are not interested in pursuing penetration testing specifically, it will prove to be excellent for understanding how attackers exploit their way into systems.