Businesses in Scotland are being urged to sign up to a free digital tool which monitors the threats from cyber-criminals.

Police CyberAlarm is being offered to help businesses better understand and monitor malicious cyber activity.

The scheme, funded by the Home Office, was first made available to all police forces and regions by the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) Cybercrime Programme in 2020, and since its launch has identified over a billion potential suspicious events resulting in reports and advice being given to members, enabling them to take action to prevent a successful attack.

Members of the scheme will receive regular reports showing suspicious and potentially malicious attack activity on their firewall and internet gateway.

The report also details how the business is being attacked and from where, providing businesses with insights necessary to improve their overall cyber resilience.

The Police CyberAlarm, deployed by Police Scotland, helps officers identify current threats and take enforcement action against cyber-criminals, and benefit any public and private sector business with a computer network, including SMEs, organisations, charities, education establishments and local government.

“People and businesses are spending more and more time online and it is almost impossible to trade without a computer network or website,” chief superintendent Conrad Trickett said.

“The threat from cybercriminals is now ever present and Police Scotland’s priority is to keep everyone safe, and that incudes in the digital world. This is even more important with criminals continuing to use any method at their disposal to exploit vulnerabilities.

“Cybersecurity should be a priority for every business. There has never been a more appropriate time to make use of any system that can make them more cyber resilient.

“I would urge businesses to take the opportunity to sign up to the Police CyberAlarm scheme.”

The platform has several offerings, including scanning businesses for vulnerabilities,  as well as providing data on the latest threats discovered to enable fast update measures.

Data is also used by the police, according to the CyberAlarm website, to keep up with emerging threats, take enforcement action, and help businesses better prepare themselves.

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Justice secretary Angela Constance added: “Improving cyber resilience remains a key priority for the Scottish Government.

“As a nation of small and medium sized companies, we work with partners, including Police Scotland, to raise awareness and support organisations to improve their cyber defences, which is key to their operational and business continuity.

“As a free digital tool, I would encourage businesses to sign up to Police CyberAlarm. The technology helps firms understand the risks they face online and assists Police Scotland to work with organisations so they can prepare to respond to cyber-attacks effectively. We want to make the most of technological advances while keeping Scotland digitally safe and secure.”