Fear of hacking is slowing down e-business.
The CBI has reported two-thirds of its members suffered a serious cybercrime in the past year.
Hacking, virus attacks and credit card fraud were listed as the main cybercrimes affecting businesses.
Director general Digby Jones said: "Fears about potential financial losses and damage to reputation from cybercrime are stalling the growth of e-business, especially for business-to-consumer transactions."
The CBI has called for the creation of a UK Centre for Cybercrime Complaints similar to the Internet Fraud Complaint Centre in the United States.
The centre would hold a database of web-based fraud from which complaints could be channelled to the relevant investigating bodies.
Brighton-based I-Sec tests web site security by hacking into sites for clients to try to identify areas vulnerable to malicious break-ins.
Managing director Geoff Davies said by working with all types of business his company had become aware of the many dangers posed by not taking adequate measures to secure web business.
He said: "External attacks from the internet are a greater risk than ever. The majority of these hacking attacks are indiscriminate and everyone is a target.
"Due to its high concentration of new media companies, for whom security is not a high priority, Sussex businesses will be among those hacked and companies must act now to ensure they have proper defences.
"Sensible e-business can reap financial rewards and should be an opportunity to be grasped rather than feared."
Research from business users around the world has shown the number and range of cyber attacks is on the rise.
A recent survey by the Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered the internet was the source of 59 per cent of computer attacks and internal systems accounted for only 38 per cent. In total, 70 per cent of companies reported unauthorised use of computer systems in the last year.
Chris Gabriel, director of marketing for UK network security specialist Enterasys Networks, said: "The number of undetected attacks will be considerably higher. The continued deployment of intrusion detection systems will increase the visibility of attacks and provide end-users with a view of both aggressive and passive e-crime."
Cybercrime prevention will be the theme of a symposium at the Gardner Arts Centre, Brighton, on November 9.
Contact Anjuu Trevadi at the Sussex Innovation Centre on 01273 704400.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article