Get your head in the cyber security game

3rd February 2017

Anna Flockett

0 0

MPS believe that skill shortages and a chaotic way of handling personal data breaches is undermining Britain’s ability to deter cyber attacks. Britain is certainly vulnerable to attacks from states like Russia, who do not operate under the same legal standards. And according to a report by the Public Accounts Committee, it said that ministers take too long to consolidate the ‘alphabet soup’ of agencies tasked with keeping the country safe.

Cyber attacks are one of the top four risks to UK national security and have been for the past six years, despite this there seems to have been no coordination across the public sector.

Committee chair and Labour MP Meg Hillier said: "Government has a vital role to play in cyber security across society but it needs to raise its game. Its approach to handling personal data breaches has been chaotic and does not inspire confidence in its ability to take swift, coordinated and effective action in the face of higher-threat attacks."

Some reports from Whitehall completely varied as some stated thousands of data breaches, while contrastingly some reported none.

Without a ‘consistent approach’ to dealing with these incidents the Cabinet Office was not able “to make an informed decision about where to direct and prioritise its attention,” the report warned.

The MPs warnings have come after increasing concerns over Russian cyber attacks, with the country being accused of interfering and even rigging the US election.

Hillier stated that regardless of the growing threat, Britain still does rank below Brazil, China and South Africa in keeping laptops and mobiles secure. “In this context it should concern us all that the Government is struggling to ensure its security profession has the skills it needs.”

A National Cyber Security Centre spokesman said: “The UK faces a growing threat of cyber attacks and we share the committee’s determination to make the UK as safe a place as possible to live and do business online.”

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "Our comprehensive and ambitious National Cyber Security Strategy, underpinned by £1.9bn of investment, sets out a range of measures to defend our people, businesses, and assets; deter and disrupt our adversaries; and develop capability and skills."