Not for Profits Strengthen Security Against Online Fraud

Charities hit hard by cyber crime

£1.65 billion per year is lost across 842 UK registered charities due to fraud according to a report by the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the University of Portsmouth and accountancy firm BDO.

With more public information online than ever before, there’s been a steady increase in fraudsters targeting charities. However, there has also been a growth in the number of solutions that can be used to combat two of the most common online methods of crime: email fraud (phishing) and malicious software (malware/trojan). 

Phishing involves sending emails in an attempt to gain security details such as personal information or passwords. Usually, you are encouraged to click on a link or document within the email that downloads malicious software or takes you to a fraudulent website. 

Malware is software used to gather sensitive information. Trojans, a form of malware, are programmes designed to steal information. They can be installed from attachments contained in phishing emails or come from infected websites visited by users. Trojans can record information typed on a keyboard, a password for example, and send it to a fraudster.

Protecting your Not for Profit organisation

Charities need to be better equipped at protecting themselves, and part of this comes by educating their staff to spot current fraudulent techniques being used. NfPs can’t afford not to take cyber crime or data protection seriously. Any security breaches can mean financial losses as well as irrevocable damage to reputations.

Cyber security needs to be at the forefront of your digital strategy and a key influence on the operating system you decide to implement. For example, Windows 10 has been designed to help protect user identities, information, and devices against hacking and malware threats. Recent major architectural enhancements to the operating system mean that it protects from the inside out.

It’s not just enough to build defensive walls; your organisation needs to be able to remove certain threats altogether, which is what Windows 10 can help you achieve. 

Would you like to discover how the latest technologies can protect your organisation?

Download our whitepaper: How to increase donor support (with technology)