Understand cyber risk in business, financial and board-level terms
An annual licence for a 3-hour e-learning course delivered in partnership with ICAEW. Across 12 short videos of around 15 minutes each, accountants, finance leaders and business professionals gain a clear, practical understanding of modern cyber risk without technical jargon.
- Format: e-learning
- Duration: 3 hours
- CPD: 3 hours
- Audience: accountants, finance leaders, business owners and senior decision-makers
- Ideal for: professionals who need to understand cyber risk in business, financial and governance terms
- What's included: 12 practical on-demand e-learning with video modules and knowledge-check quizzes
Bookings are completed through the ICAEW website
Twelve episodes, one practical learning journey
Video Episode 1 - Core Principles
Learners see cyber security as protecting trust and continuity, with the CIA Triad, Zero Trust and the difference between sensitive data and critical data.
Video Episode 2 - The Cyber Security Landscape
Learners understand who attacks businesses, why they do it, and how suppliers, third parties and access create hidden risk.
Episode 3 - The Dark Web And The Cybercrime Economy Video
Learners explore stolen data, access markets, crime-as-a-service and how credentials are monetised.
Video Episode 4 - Why Attacks Work And Red Flags
Learners recognise social engineering patterns, pressure tactics, unusual payment requests and the need to trust process, not the person.
Video Episode 5 - The Human Attack Surface
Learners understand why good staff get caught and how pause, verify, escalate and record habits reduce risk.
Episode 6 - Digital Deception: Phishing, Vishing And Business Email Compromise email
Learners see how email, phone and message-based impersonation attacks target logins, suppliers, payments and payroll.
Video Episode 7 - Ransomware And Incident Response
Learners understand ransomware as a campaign, including double extortion, backup targeting and first-response priorities.
Video Episode 8 - Securing The Work Environment
Learners connect cyber security to home working, travel, mobiles, Wi-Fi, physical security and everyday data handling.
Episode 9 - Building A Security Resilient Business
Learners see how ownership, layered controls, supplier governance and practical prioritisation build resilience.
Video Episode 10 - Security Hygiene
Learners understand regular controls such as patching, joiners-movers-leavers, backups, restore testing, logging and escalation.
Video Episode 11 - Cyber Risks And Costs
Learners explore cyber cost, likelihood, impact, ransomware economics, decision trade-offs and insurance awareness.
Episode 12 - Security Standards And Governance
Learners understand GRC, risk assessment, incident triage, evidence, reviews and continuous improvement.
Accountancy firms hold the data criminals want
Client records, financial information, payroll data, tax documents and payment instructions make accountancy firms attractive targets.
Cyber risk is now a business risk, not just an IT issue
The course helps professionals understand ransomware, invoice fraud, phishing, AI-enabled deception and incident impact in practical business terms.
Better questions lead to better protection
The aim is not to turn accountants into technicians, but to help them challenge IT providers, understand proportional controls and support better decision-making.
By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
- Understand why organisations of all sizes are targeted
- Recognise phishing, ransomware, business email compromise and social engineering
- Understand AI-driven deception and emerging cyber risks
- Assess the business and financial impact of cyber incidents
- Challenge IT and cyber providers more confidently
- Understand what proportionate cyber security looks like
Is this course right for you?
This course is designed for accountants, finance leaders and business professionals who need to understand cyber risk in clear, practical and commercial terms.
It is suitable if you want to:
- Understand cyber security without becoming technical
- Recognise the business impact of phishing, ransomware, invoice fraud and AI-enabled deception
- Ask better questions of IT teams, suppliers and cyber providers
- Understand how cyber incidents can affect client trust, financial stability and business continuity
- Gain structured CPD through an ICAEW e-learning course
- Build confidence when discussing cyber risk with clients, boards or senior teams
Before you book the ICAEW cyber security course
Is this course technical?
No. It is designed for accountants and business professionals, not IT specialists. The focus is on understanding cyber risk in practical business terms.
Does it count towards CPD?
Yes, the ICAEW page lists the course as 3 CPD hours.
Where do I book?
Bookings are completed through the ICAEW Learning Shop.
Who is it most relevant for?
Accountants, finance leaders, business owners, partners, managers and senior decision-makers who need to understand cyber risk and its business impact.
What will I take away?
A clearer understanding of modern cyber threats, how they affect organisations, and what better cyber risk conversations should look like.
We are pleased to have worked in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) to deliver a practical, on-demand cyber security e-learning course for accountants and business leaders.
