Considering the changes in the entire cybersecurity landscape over the past year, the UK needs a whole-of-society response to combat the ever-evolving online threats, risks, and vulnerability, in order to secure the nation’s online status.
Working with allies and partners in both the public and private sectors, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has contributed to a significant effort to increase our country's resilience at each level. Along with reflecting on significant achievements and challenges faced over the past, its Annual Review sheds light on what can we learn from the past year to combat the threats and perplexities that lie ahead.
The invasion of Ukraine was one of the biggest problems for cybersecurity. While Russia's harsh and devastating war aimed to change the world's physical geography, its effects were felt everywhere, including in cyberspace.
“While Russia’s brutal war has sought to redraw the physical map, its consequences have been felt in cyberspace,” says Lindy Cameron, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre.
NCSC, as a part of GCHQ, could monitor cybersecurity threats and has cautioned of increased cyber risks because of Russian hostility from the beginning of 2022. It has additionally published expert guidelines to aid organizations strengthen their defenses, and has collaborated extensively with partners to make sure that vital enterprises, infrastructure, and society as a whole are as robust as possible.
Ransomware continues to present one of the greatest risks to UK businesses and organizations, and we have already witnessed the adverse repercussions that attacks may have on operations, finances, and reputations of organizations, resulting in the widespread wreck for consumers.
The NCSC has published expert guidance to aid organizations to take measures to secure themselves online and continues to urge CEOs to take the matter seriously and should not be left to the technical experts.
Since last year, NCSC has helped contain hundreds of thousands of upstream cyberattacks, while as well reinforcing preparedness for the same. Moreover, helping organizations and institutions gain a better understanding of the nature of threats, risks, and vulnerabilities downstream.
By addressing these challenges, NCSC ensures the UK to emerge as a global cyber-power in the future. Its overall plan for doing so is outlined in the National Cyber Strategy, which acknowledges that thriving cyber skill and growth in the ecosystem is important to maintain this advantage and support the diversity of talent at its core.
In the past year, initiatives like CyberFirst have collaborated with thousands of young people from all across the country, while NCSC has supported businesses for Startup programs, generating hundreds of millions of pounds in investments.
“This is a source of great optimism for me and my team as we look ahead to 2023. But cybersecurity is a team sport and it is only through mobilising the whole of society that we can achieve our goal of making the UK a safe place to live and work online,” adds Cameron.
