Grants of up to €3,000 have been launched to assist SMEs (small and medium enterprises) to review and update their online security measures to mitigate against the risk of cyberattacks.
The Cyber Security Review Grant will be administered by Enterprise Ireland, in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
It will provide Enterprise Ireland clients with access to cyber security experts who will conduct an initial independent review of the company’s cyber security status, identify vulnerabilities, and develop a roadmap for the business to enhance their security measures.
The Cyber Security Review Grant is being made available from €85m in funds that have been allocated to the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment through the European Union’s NextGenerationEU funding instrument.
Businesses that avail of the Cyber Security Review will receive consultancy from a qualified, external cyber security expert who will investigate current company practices and review the technical implementation of both on-site and cloud software.
A detailed report in line with National Cyber Security Centre’s best practice will then be delivered, outlining actionable steps to improve the company’s cyber security position.
“I’m delighted that we were in a position to partner with Enterprise Ireland in designing the Cyber Security Review Grant,” said Director of the NCSC, Richard Browne.
“Not only will this enhance the cyber resilience of our Irish businesses, but it supports indigenous Irish enterprises to build up our industrial capacity in cybersecurity,” Dr Browne said.
Anne Lanigan, Divisional Manager, Technology Services at Enterprise Ireland, said that it is crucial to invest in protecting sensitive information and mitigating the risk of cyber-attacks.
“This is especially important as recent advancements in AI have made smaller businesses more attractive targets for malicious actors,” Ms Lanigan said.
“The Cyber Security Review aims to help business examine any pitfalls which may leave their systems open and vulnerable to compromise and allows them to put the appropriate measures in place,” she added.