Cyber attacks on businesses "cost UK billions" Soaring numbers of cyber attacks cost Britain billions of pounds a year and businesses now face a serious security breach every few days, research revealed today. Information Security Breaches Survey said firms were "struggling to keep up" with threats Costs to the UK have nearly tripled over the last year. It found 93% of large organisations and 87% of small firms - up 10% - were targeted last year. Several attacks caused more than £1 million of damage while average breaches cost large organisations between £450,000 and £850,000. The Information Security Breaches Survey, commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), said firms were now "struggling to keep up" with security threats. "In total, the cost to UK plc of security breaches is of the order of billions of pounds per annum - it's roughly tripled over the last year," the report stated. Affected companies experience around 50% more attacks on average than a year ago, with the median number of breaches suffered by large organisations up from 71 to 113, and the figure for small firms rising from 11 to 17. Attacks by outsiders - such as criminals, hacktivists and competitors - cause by far the most security breaches in big businesses and the average large firm faces a "significant attack every few days," the report found. While small enterprises were formerly all but immune from assaults on their systems, they now face an increasing number of security violations. The survey found 63% of small businesses were attacked by an unauthorised outsider in the last year, up from 41% in the previous year. For large organisations, the comparable figures stood at 78% and 73%. Meanwhile, 23% of small businesses were hit by denial-of-service attacks last year - up from 15% a year ago. For large firms, these figures stood at 39% and 30%. "Overall, the survey results show that companies are struggling to keep up with security threats and so find it hard to take the right actions," the report concluded. The right tone from the top is vital - where senior management are briefed frequently on the potential security risks, security defences tend to be stronger. Its findings were published as the Government increased support for small firms to help them protect against electronic attacks. The Technology Strategy Board has extended a scheme to allow small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to bid for up to £5,000 from a £500,000 pot to improve their cyber security by bringing in outside expertise. BIS is also publishing guidance to help small firms make cyber security part of their normal risk management procedures. Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: "Keeping electronic information safe and secure is vital to a business's bottom line. Companies are more at risk than ever of having their cyber security compromised, in particular small businesses, and no sector is immune from attack. But there are simple steps that can be taken to prevent the majority of incidents. The package of support we are announcing today will help small businesses protect valuable assets like financial information, websites, equipment, software and intellectual property, driving growth and keeping UK businesses ahead in the global race.