Designing Cyber Security Communities of Support to improve SME cyber hygiene and resilience

Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) represent the vast majority of businesses in the UK and many other countries. At the same time, however, SMEs can often lack preparedness in relation to cyber security. This becomes problematic for SMEs in their own right, as well as in the context of supply-chains for larger organisations. Despite the availability of information and resources many SMEs are challenged by a lack of understanding and skills to help address questions and enact advice. Based upon ongoing research into the support available to SMEs, this paper proposes the concept of Cyber Security Communities of Support. The discussion presents the principles of the communities, as well as various practical considerations to be accounted for in operationalizing the approach (including the provision of an online Support Broker platform as an enabler for community dialogue). Finally, attention is given towards the planning for a series of pilot communities, from which it is intended that the findings will help to provide the basis for an ongoing and replicable model of support.