In March 2021 the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sports (DCMS) published the annual survey detailing business and charity action on cyber security, and the costs and impacts of cyber breaches and attacks.
Cyber security is a critical issue in the 21st Century, whether operating in the public or private sector. Cyber security encompasses the protection of computer or Information Systems (IS) from accidental or intentional malevolent attack.
A strong cyber security policy is designed to protect the organisation from theft or property (either hardware or software), the theft of data and information held on systems. It should also minimise the potential harm from individual's intent on causing disruption of services, such as the introduction of viruses to the system. Finally, it endeavours to ensure clear, secure procedures which individuals employed by the company should use to prevent attack or loss of data or hardware.
The DCMS Cyber Security Breaches Survey helps organisations to understand the nature and significance of the cyber security threats they face, and what others are doing to stay secure. ENTRUST would encourage all Environmental Bodies (EBs) to review the DCMS Cyber Security Breaches survey findings.
ENTRUST would also encourage EBs to review National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance which will help ensure good cyber governance for your organisation and mitigate the risk of a cyber attack.
The NCSC was set up in October 2016 and provides advice, guidance and support on cyber security. It brings together expertise from Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG) which is the information assurance arm of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the Centre for Cyber Assessment, the UK National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UK) and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure. The NCSC also works collaboratively with other law enforcement, defence, the UK's intelligence and security agencies and international partners.