Developed in collaboration with Stuart Hyde QPM, formerly a member of the Europol Internet Security Advisory Board, Virtual College’s online course is aimed at all employees and covers the key cyber security issues and how to work safely online.

Stuart said, "When you look into cyber security incidents and data breaches, the vast majority could have been prevented with better cyber education and simple cyber security precautions. This is where the cyber security awareness course we've been working on comes in."

He continued, "Most attacks are not against an IT department, they're against an individual, and that's an important part of this. In order to have effective cyber security, everyone needs to be aware. If a bin were on fire in your organisation, you wouldn't just walk past it because you'd be at risk just as much as the organisation. This is the mindset people need to have in order to minimise the risk of cybercrime and encourage a culture of cyber security."

Cybercrime is on the rise, is an increasing risk to any organisation, and is not just an issue for the IT department.

The above-mentioned government survey also mentioned, "only '20% of businesses have had staff attend any form of cyber security training in the last 12 months, with non-specialist staff being particularly unlikely to have attended."

Organisations are advised to ensure their staff complete cyber security training to help protect their businesses and data against cyber crimes.

Managing Director of Virtual College, Hannah Brindle, commented, "Every day, we interact on the internet without thinking about it. Our Introduction to Cyber Security course is a beginner's guide to protect you or your employees from the risk that cyber criminals pose."

Cybercrime incidents are becoming increasingly common. It is possible for personal data to be leaked, customer accounts can be compromised, and there can be major financial complications that can directly affect an organisation. It is important that businesses of all sizes are aware of cyber security, how it can affect everyday operations, and how this can be prevented.

Using real life examples, the course shows learners how they can reduce everyday risks and understand the possible harm that can be caused.

The eLearning course will help learners understand the different types of malicious software, how hackers and bots can access systems, and how to keep information and personal data safe from online fraud.

The course takes approximately one and a half to two hours to complete and is aimed at employees who use devices to store data or connect to the internet in their day-to-day roles. At the end, learners are required to achieve a 75% pass mark in a test, which consists of 30 multiple choice questions.

Virtual College has also created a number of free resources to help organisations get up to speed with cyber security, including a short video and an online quiz to test how safe you are online.