A Bermuda tech firm has teamed up with an international software company to provide free cyber-security checks for Island businesses.

CheckPoint Software Technologies, based in Israel and the US, has joined up with Hamilton-based Independent Consulting Solutions (ICS) to help keep local networks safe from hackers.

ICS chief operating officer Steve Bull said that ICS, which has been in business for 20 years, had been CheckPoint’s leading representative in Bermuda.

Mr Bull added: “We’re excited to partner with CheckPoint to offer this service free of charge to local businesses.

“It’s our hope and desire that by supporting the local IT infrastructure we contribute to the greater goal of a stronger cyber security reputation for Bermuda.”

The security check-up and threat analysis service will look for security risks in networks and data storage and identify potential vulnerabilities.

Mr Bull said that cyber crime had been on the increase in recent years, with the US Director of National Intelligence listing it as the top security threat for America in 2015 and 2014.

He added that cyber crimes had not only increased in frequency over the last few years but in scale and sophistication as well.

Teaming with CheckPoint, which has a series of international offices, allows Bermuda firms to get up-to-date advice from a global security provider on the threats they might be exposed to.

ICS director Troy Symonds said: “The headlines over the past year are a clear indication of what’s to come.

“Sony, JP Morgan and Home Depot all had significant data breaches in the past year and these incidents are not cheap for these large businesses.

“Home Depot estimated the cost of the their data breach in the region of $62 million.

“Bermuda has also had its fair share of security threats.

And Mr Symonds added: “Some organisations locally have been affected by similar costly cyber threats although they are not necessarily publicised.”

Participants will bet a security report highlighting dangers like high-risk web applications, malware-infected computers, data leakage incidents and exploited vulnerabilities and attacks on company networks.

The report will also include a full list of recommendations on how to protect against these and other security risks.