A CLOUD cyber security app which can check data breaches within 24 hours rather than the norm of several months, has gone from two entrepreneurs’ germ of an idea to a company employing eight people in six months.

Newcastle-based Melius Cyber’s co-founder and director Eldon Jobe, believes his company’s service of continuous monitoring of internet data breaches via the app will be particularly beneficial to SME’s who do not always have the technical ability to block or defend against cyber attacks.

He said: “I have an extensive background in IT and could see the huge disruption hackers caused businesses large and small.

"The biggest danger with security breaches is often due to the length of time it takes for them to be discovered.

"Our app works differently to typical cyber security programmes in that it doesn’t sit outside the business’ systems as a protective barrier but is constantly scanning for a breach inside the very heart of operations.”

Mr Jobe sees a huge gap in the market for his product – as well as selling the app to individual businesses he is also keen to work with IT providers who may be expert in their field, but still require support to provide real world, specialist cybersecurity protection for their clients.

His track record is technology goes back to running his own IT recruitment business and co-founding and building a successful software business in the recruitment sector.

Brexit and Covid hit this sector hard so he decided to merge his knowledge of tech with his marketing skills, working with cyber specialists and Melius Cyber Consultancy was the result. During the first lockdown they developed their Cybersecurity as a Service application, MELCaaS.

Melius Cyber is a member of North East England Chamber of Commerce. Chamber relationship manager Lynsey Fairless said: “We are delighted to have this innovative business in our membership. Melius Cyber is a fantastic example of our North East entrepreneurship and ability to exploit unique opportunities in the digital landscape.”

The statistics on hacks are huge with more than 5 million SMEs collectively attacked more than seven million  times a year and 72 per cent of SMEs having experienced a breach of cyber-attack.

Further information on Melius Cyber is available on meliuscyber.com