Businesses and charities in Dorset can now sign up to be part of the new South West Cyber Resilience Centre (SWCRC).

The centre has been established to help better protect the business community against cybercrime.

The police led initiative, in partnership with the private sector and academia, is part of a network of centres being established across England and Wales.

The aim is to provide businesses and third sector organisations with a free level of support, and an affordable way to access more bespoke cyber security services and consultancy.

The SWCRC offers a range of membership options depending on the level of support that businesses in Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset need.

The Core Membership, which is specifically aimed at micro businesses and SMEs, is free.

It provides access to a range of resources and tools to help them identify their risks and vulnerabilities.

The Core Membership comes with a welcome pack full of tools and tips as well as access to national cyber security guidance and regular updates.

The SWCRC offers a range of paid membership options which also come with a choice of cyber security services.

They include a half day staff awareness session and a quarterly briefing on current cyber threats in the region.

The centre is headed up by a Director who is also a Superintendent with Devon and Cornwall Police.

Mark Moore, who has taken on the Director role, has been in policing for over 25 years, where he has been responsible for managing police responses to high-risk and protracted incidents, latterly overseeing policing in the area of Exeter, East and Mid Devon.

He has also worked as a consultant to police forces across the country, and managed the team which oversees initial response to every reported incident in the Devon and Cornwall force area.

Mark, pictured left, said: “I am enormously excited to have been asked to bring the SWCRC into being and lead on this innovative partnership aimed at tackling the huge threat that is cybercrime.

“We know that any system is only as strong as its weakest link, and that is why we want to help improve protection for networks and supply chains across the South West.

“Cybercrime is a risk to all business, but with some simple changes, they can significantly reduce their chance of falling victim to it.

“It needn’t be scary, complex or unmanageable, and we are here to help people through.

“The SWCRC brings together the expertise of law enforcement, private industry and academia, working together to deliver free and affordable services to help businesses mitigate their cyber security risks.

“Our website is now live, so businesses and charities can find out more about how we can help them and sign up for one of our membership packages.”

The SWCRC has been funded by the National Police Chiefs’ Council Cyber Crime Programme which secured government funding to establish a network of CRCs across England and Wales.

For more information about the SWCRC, or to become a member, please click here.

Also follow SWCRC on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep updated with the latest news.