A SCOTTISH company has partnered with security specialists to offer free cyber security training designed to make businesses more resilient to fraudsters during the coronavirus crisis.

The online course is being rolled out as an emergency response to the fall-out from the pandemic. With staff at most businesses in the UK being forced to work from home to help combat the spread of COVID-19, the potential for hacking, phishing and other cyberattacks has soared.

GTS Solutions, a social enterprise headquartered in Edinburgh, is working with Lucy, a Swiss-based supplier of cyber security training software, to help address the issue.

The aim is to provide remote workers with additional knowledge to minimise the risks arising from their sudden change in circumstances, with the course designed to raise awareness and educate people on safer ways to work from home. Featuring interactive quizzes, advice videos and questionnaires, the open educational platform can be accessed without charge at workfromhome.education.

GTS Solutions is the only gold-standard social enterprise working in the UK private security sector and recently refocused its business strategy to concentrate on public safety. The free resource is the first offering from the company’s recently agreed partnership with Lucy Security, funded by a loan from UMi Debt Finance Scotland.

GTS chief executive Chris Thewlis, who is also a member of the Scottish Business Resilience Centre Policy Board, said: “Lucy is a brand that is known internationally and being an official partner gives us the opportunity to export to our desired market across a number of countries.

“This is a fantastic learning and educational package as well as being a cyber security safety package which we hope will prove of benefit to the thousands of people now having to work from home due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

Lucy offers security training and testing services in 130 languages and the deal saw GTS Solutions become their only managed security service provider in Scotland.

Lucy Security director in the UK and Ireland, Paul Dobson added: “Working with GTS Solutions in Scotland will help millions of people stay safe from criminals.”